[tacticalogic]

Check my post at 340 .

Okay, I did. The end still doesn't justify the means. The Constitution has to justify the means. You can have a strict constructionist view that limits the federal government's authority to what has been properly granted by the People, or you can have a "living document" that let's them do whatevery the politicians can convince us sounds good today. Why do you choose the latter?

And please quit misconstruing George Washington. His first law enforcement mission as President was to put down the whiskey rebellion.

He exercised federal police authority to enforce a federal tax code. What is it about that action that has any relevance to, or changes the meaning of the remarks from his Farewell Address? Who's trying to "misconstrue" GW here?

The man was a federalist!

Indeed.

[muawiyah]

When the government's gone and civilization has fallen, and the people are thrown back on their own devices, a new, but more rigorous constitution will be adopted out of necessity, and the dopers will be the first to be eliminated, not the last.

And yes, George Washington preferred to enforce the law than to let brigands and thugs run loose.