[GovernmentShrinker]

There's big difference between NO standards, and government management of the intimate personal and family lives of its citizens. And it's not at all clear that Rome would still be a thriving society today, if only its government had clamped down on the private activities of its citizens.

[asmith92008]

I've been away for a while, so I'll be commenting to both of your comments.

1. Family is the basic building block of society. It is wear values are inculcated to children. If we have anarchic families, as our society has been sliding towards, we will have an anarchic society. I find it no coincidence that we have seen corruption at the highest levels in government, religion, business and sports as we witness the first generation of the post-nuclear family taking the reins of power. Society has a responsibility to encourage traditional, stable families if it wishes to survive.

2. As to the Romans, it is probably true that unchecked immigration helped to kill the Roman Empire as surely as its moral decline. Yet the softness that led the Romans to welcome invasion came from their moral downfall. We witness the same process today in America and it is truly frightening.