Good grief, Fred.  Hundreds of millions were rubbed out by their own communist governments, the rest enslaved by the Party.  This is what it means to be human? (!!)

The theory of communism can be summed up in one term: APPROPRIATE.

Fred, I didn't expect you to agree, as you can always be counted on to defend 'socialism' while in complete denial of its utter failure in practice.  You absolutely support and extoll the virtues of national democratic socialism in your many posts.  The German acronym for such a party is N.A.Z.I. — fascism is just another form of socialism, as Hitler, Goering, Goebbels, and the German people called themselves. 

I for one believe the fascists when they say they are socialists.  Communists are on the 'left' of the socialist scale, and fascists are on the 'right.'  Russia and Germany were at odds with each other because each competed for dominance in the statist political world.  Both claim to be 'democracies,' and both forms depend on authoritarianism to hold power over the people.  The 'anti-fascists' are most commonly communists.

A statist form of government (like a monarchy or any form of socialism) and the American republican form are diametrically opposed to each other, each deriving their power from different sources— one by force and one by consent.

I will agree with you that a nation that accumlates an unpayable debt is hardly representative of the Constitutionally guaranteed republican form of government and is in fact a direct copy of a statist/socialist form.  Ever since the US traded its hard currency backed by gold and silver for interest-bearing notes, the die was cast, and the road to socialism (fascism rather specifically) was paved.

If only the people were not so un-educated, they would understand how they have become enslaved by this debt-as-money system — one of the core planks of communism, I might add.  There is no such thing as a socialist government without a debt-based currency, in fact, it is the ONLY way to pay for it (at the expense of ALL the people).

Mike usually reminds us that 'law' is not legislation or statutes — it is not man-made, it already 'is' and requires no human 'enforcement,' it is self-enforcing.  With that understanding, liberty absolutely requires seeking the precepts of the 'law' and acting in concordance with them.

Hence the Department of Education... the results speak for themselves — indoctrination not education.

Ignorance is bliss, eh, Fred? ;-)  'Denial' is not a river in Egypt..

Awesome, Mike!  My children first attended Montessori school which was excellent.  Classroom materials were easily made by parents and teachers.  The alphabet was taught in cursive from day 1 — with a little sandbox-like tablet for drawing letters with your finger.  Classes were of mixed ages with older students helping the younger ones.  Older students helped the little ones with hanging up their coats and taking off their winter boots and gloves. 

The grading system was more individualized identifying specific subjects as being "introduced" with several levels up to "mastery" where the student could pass on the knowledge to another.  Students were empowered not regimented. 

When we moved abroad, we began home-schooling our children and later formed a small school of other home-schooled children.  My daughter was accepted to university easily, graduating a year earlier than her peers.  Socialization was never an issue as, guess what, we live in a world of other people always interacting with them, making friends with the neighbors, participating in community events, church, etc..

My own experience with public schooling was a dismal affair.  Today it is quite disheartening to see how badly children are 'educated' barely able to read, write or compute.  I highly recommend Montessori school if there is one nearby and does not take funding from government (which soon requires the school to adopt the same standards as public schools in order to keep that funding).

Why attend college after learning so much that isn't even taught in college?  FYI I did attend college, but I took the courses I wanted since I was paying for it myself.  I did not want to waste time and money on filler courses.  So I never got a degree — thus I am unlettered.  But I far surpassed my peers in my field of study, and while many of them were still finishing up their degrees, I was making more money than any of them would ever achieve, because my skills were in demand, none of which were part of my college curriculum.

I can certainly relate to this quote — it has been my personal experience.  But that was a LONG time ago, and what the Dept of Education has done to education since then has been pure corruption.  Not only has the DOE failed in its mission, it has indoctrinated half our country into blithering liberal dolts, who can barely read — forget about actually learning about the principles of American (i.e. republican) government which was the gold standard for all the world until the people were effectively neutered by secular progressive liberalism.  We have come a long way, baby!

Sorry, but that is a really twisted definition of liberty and an accurate description of subservience to the state — i.e., oppression.

NO!  Absolutely not, except in a tyrannical state.  Sheesh.

Fred, you have an amazing talent for saying absolutely nothing.  Your comment is incomprehensible...

Everywhere socialism has been 'given a try' has resulted in the culling of millions of people and the subjugation of the rest — that's why socialists usually say 'true socialism hasn't been tried before.'  In fact it has been tried over and over, and it has failed in its promises every time.  Give Liberty a try!

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.  Policeman MUST enforce the edicts of the state.  Just look at what is happening in Europe these days — people are arrested for expressing their political views and for running for elected office in opposition to the ruling party.  Fascists need police to keep the public in line, it's the only way to retain power.

Are you delusional?  World government is the goal of the greatest power-seekers of all.  It would be nothing short of servitude for every nation.  SELF-government, starting with the individual, would be the best government, if indeed people would be respectful of each other's rights.  Indeed, it would take the highest order of humans, so I am not sure if it will ever be possible on a global scale.  Better if each nation could secure the rights of its citizens. 

The UN and its globalist institutions (World Bank, WHO, ICC, IMF to name a few) are already trying to supersede the rights and powers of the nations that have become its members.  No nation that issued their own currency backed by gold could join initially — they were called 'neutral' countries.  One by one they have fallen to the central banks.  World government would be fascistic at best and communistic at worse — it would be the government of a world central bank.  

Remember that the stated goal of globalists is to reduce the world's population to 500 million people — and you can bet you ain't one of them.

Same as it ever was, apparently ...  Vigilance has always been key — watch the watchers!

I wish; however, it seems more prefer the illusion of security to the animating contest of freedom.

"Liberty is Slavery", eh, Fred?

A lot of folks exposing the truth are literally risking their lives — it's a good chance they are over the target.

The real question is what will you do once you see the ugly side...

I think Mazzini is saying that while 'materialists' define liberty as the right to do or not do anything that is not directly injurious to others, he understands liberty as the faculty of choosing according to conscience.  Makes sense to me.

Hey, RBE!  Long time no hear!  I'm inclined to agree, although the intent of the Founders was independence and staying out of 'entanglements' with foreign wars.  I think you can blame the deep state and the central banks that foment war for fun and profit.  The CIA has been up to no good since its inception and is in bed with organized crime to accomplish their goals.  But I refuse to accept that America is hopelessly lost to these scoundrels.  The truth crushed to earth will rise again.

I get it, but unfortunately, those that do not believe in liberty and in fact do not believe in MY liberty are enemies of liberty.  We will have to deal with them eventually...

I suppose it means that liberty is central to all, and that equal rights cannot be ever taken away — like an emperor's decree, it is 'law.'