How do you classify the rebuilding of Europe and Japan after the Big War. I served in Korea Archer, my Korean office secretary told me how appreciative she was of American benevolence. You stated you never served and I was no brave hero myself, I worked in an office for 3 1/2 years but did my duty. If you had ever served or just observe what foreigners think of American sacrifice of body and soul, such as the "suicidal" marine charges at Belleau Woods (which however won the day and absolutely amazed the chicken s*** French) and on the beaches of Normandy you might come to understand what American idealism and benevolence has wrought. As far as world "government" the rich, the corporations, and many international organizations are already well ahead of politicians and the rest of us "little people" in being a de facto world government already. Maybe benevolence is the wrong word because benefits come back to our nation and society from what we have done. Maybe that is what Mr Rustow means when he says "it is in our interest". What would Europe and Japan be like today if we had retreated into pre WWII isolationism and just let them rot and figure it out for themselves. As far as vocabulary you could do much better by refraining from words like "collectivist, fascism, statism" and tell us what you are trying to say. What do YOU call the propensity of the haves (Europeans and Americans through numerous privatie organizations) to go all over the world to help the have nots. I do not know why you choose to live in such a place as this; not to worry there are millions willing and striving to come here and take your place.

More votes, more referendums, more recalls, in short more democracy could serve to keep the scoundrels on a shorter leash. When virtually every industry in this country is bigger than the government there is only so much government can do. For example the Bank of America has 100,000 employees. If you add up the employees of all the banking industry I hazard to suggest a number in excess of five million. Auto industry, oil industry you get the idea, each of these industries are much bigger than the Federal Government. Government is generally benign. Laws are made to be observed by a law abiding citizenry. We stop at stop signs even though there is no cop around. The tax system is designed to be complied with in the same good citizen manner. The biggest problem with income tax system is with the honesty and correctness of the returns. That is one of the first corruptions in our society and the estimated annual shortfall due to pure lying is $200 billion dollars. It would even help a budget as deficient as Mr. Bushes. With a budget of $2.7 trillion a piddling $200 billion does not sound like much but it adds up year after year. In five years you are talking $1 trillion. The Feds could be out of debt if we could get this money.

Archer you are right about the review process problem. But a worse scenario would be to have some Tribunal to pass on every question of constitutionality ahead of time. In a free society like ours every question must be adjudicated. Like if you are undecided whether to shoot a person threatening you with violence you cannot stop and ask him to wait while the Tribunal decides. You must take your best shot (no pun intended) and then have your day in court. In some National Forest signs say that you cannot discharge a weapon unless it is an emergency, but they do not say what is or is not an emergency. Take your shot and if hauled in hope you get a good judge.