[First_Salute]

Thomas Paine (in the continuation of his article - see above link):

"... it is the nature and intention of a constitution to prevent governing by party, by establishing a common principle that shall limit and control the power and impulse of party, and that says to all parties, thus far shalt thou go and no further. But in the absence of a constitution, men look entirely to party; and instead of principle governing party, party governs principle."

[ThJ1800]

got your lists handy?

[martian_22]

Could this have any bearing on where our republic went?

Missing 13th.Amendment

Or is this just a bunch of bull....

[One More Time]

bump

[RnMomof7]

FYI

[AAABEST]

Common sense cognitive constitutional colonial bump.

Why can't/don't we have any thinkers like this for leaders today?

I honestly don't think there's one single solitary politician alive that would even fathom such thoughts.

[redrock]

Thomas Paine BUMP!!!!

redrock--Constitutional Terrorist

[Dumb_Ox]

There is no subject more interesting to every man than the subject of government.

Hmm... Wasn't it Hadley Arkes who said that the first thing about politics is that politics is not the first thing?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Good government ultimately (elected or hereditary) depends on the character of the people who govern.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Not to be overly eager to spot the obvious in the punch bowl, but we actually DO have a Versailles-style model class system in terms of wealth/power ratio. It's just based on the lottery of the markets rather than paternal ancestry traced to some 9th-century warrior hero or courtly allegiance and, of course, minus the cinderella pageantry, with much gaudier architecture. Just think of Denise Rich, Enron, Steven Spielberg, Barbara Streisand and other leisurely figures who purchase seats at court. There's plenty that's non-representative in the power structure and political culture.

[Marianne]

Thanks for posting. BTTT

[Dustbunny]

Bump

[Pistias]

The meanest capacity cannot be at a loss, if it begins its inquiries at the right point.

That's some bullsh!t, Tom!

Every art and science has some point, or alphabet, at which the study of that art or science begins, and by the assistance of which the progress is facilitated. The same method ought to be observed with respect to the science of government.

So gov't should work on the scientific method?

[Pistias]

It is one step toward liberty to perceive that hereditary government could not begin as an exclusive right in any family.

What if God appointed a man king? At least Locke addresses that (with questionable success) in his First Treatise (though it seems nobody cares enough to put it on the web).