"Once [a] program is in place, its day-to-day administration falls into the hands of a professional cadre besieged by powerful interest groups whose influence grows as public interest wanes."  SO true.

The brutal Kavanaugh hearings have demonstrated significant violence and vitriol against essentially a choir boy.  Talk about character 'assassination.'   Such 'polite' violence and blatant hypocrisy.  

Causes that are not in harmony with natural laws will require constant propping up.  What happens when a cure for cancer is found?  What happens when people become masters of their own destiny and no longer require saving?  So many of these causes are merely jobs programs — cures to society's ills would put them all out of work.

Robert, dependency upon government is the basis of authoritarian governments.  America was founded upon the natural rights of humankind, to be free from the arbitrary rule of men.  But how do children learn of their liberated status and how to keep it?  They learn from their family and community of people who live by their own efforts, and dare I say thrive unimpeded.  We agree that children need an education, but we are not being specific about what the content of that education should be.  Who is to decide what I will learn?  What choices do I have?  What obligations do I have?

Typically, these philosophical questions and their answers have been borne by religious orders throughout the ages.  But with the rise in secular authoritarianism, concepts such as 'liberty,' 'honor,' 'responsibility,' 'forbearance,' 'trust' in the laws of nature, and the common law have been corrupted with the creeds of power and domination.  The average American has been conditioned to sign on the dotted line, and follow the rules upon pain of criminal punishment — all for his own good.  A few resist the yoke, but not enough to influence the rest.  The answer to the question, "who am I?" has been answered by the authorities for me.  Wake up!

Perhaps search for the original Latin pre-translation?

Such arrogance from a very partisan judge.  Only Obama could have nominated someone like Ginsberg.  But as a result, it looks like Trump will fill her seat — and, no, he won't find anyone like Ruth Bader Ginsberg to replace her, thank goodness.

American freedom is not an experiment.  It is the result of a declaration of the People, some of which is asserted to be self-evident and inalienable.  Our liberty is maintained by the constant defense against any and all who would legislate it away. 

Socialism is the experiment, whose failures are numerous.  Like any other business, socialism should be confined to those who voluntarily join the association — no one else is subject to their rules.  Let the socialists experiment with their own labors and money.

It's not left vs. right, it's top vs. bottom — liberty vs. authority.

The media are the enforcers of groupthink and the gatekeepers of speech.  As with currency, flooding the airwaves with hearsay and opinion dilutes dialog and buries truth and facts.  In mob rule, the majority voices win, no matter whether right.  The majority opinion rules — which is why they fight so hard to dominate that majority.  Truth and justice are sacrificed on the altar of power.

Today's 'liberals' are not demanding liberty but merely a more equal distribution of compulsion for all.  They look not to free themselves but bind everyone else to the same fate.  They complain about being imprisoned and demand better conditions as an 'entitlement.'  Apparently, freedom is a 'privilege' and oppression is a 'right.'  With all the identity politics going on, liberals are so busy trying to reinvent themselves that they lose themselves.

Yes, Bill, the true practice of Christianity did not wipe out the Indians and their culture, but the missionaries did with the help of the US military. The intent to Christianize the savages is well known. I don't have a problem with Jesus, I have a problem with slaughtering indigenous people in the name of civilizing them by Christians. In my Christian upbringing, we respected the native peoples and their agrarian ways, their sacred view of the Earth, and their spiritual traditions. Not all tribes are the same — just as all western cultures are not the same. Taking a superior stand based upon one's religion/philosophy is to declare the unbelievers inferior and thus subject to the commands of the superior. It's always about power — to ignore that is narcissism and self-righteousness, i.e. authoritarianism.

Protected classes now include LGBTQ, blacks, illegal immigrants, muslims (not christians), foreign refugees, and the most protected class, government employees (who are paid more than the private sector now).  When empowerment is at the expense of others, it is not empowerment but theft.  'Diversity' means 'conformity',  'equality' means 'uniformity', and 'justice' has become 'subsidy.'  Victimhood has become the rallying cry of the power-elite to win votes from the poor and campaign funds from the powerful.  'White privilege' is the excuse for overt racism against whites — it is a 'black privilege' to call white people racist.

I think these guys can think for themselves.  Frankly, I don't think I've changed anyone's mind ever on this blog.  Let honest dialog reveal what it does.

I understand the parable, but could never wrap my head around a 'corrupt tree.'  Does the tree have a free will?  How is the tree corrupted?  ;-)

"Even though he proves himself to be ignorant and subliterate every time he opens his mouth."  The list is long on that one — the subliterate LeBron comes to mind who is opening a 'free' school that will cost the tax-payers millions — for what? To be as edumacated as LeBron?  Remember 'eubonics'?

I think so.  We tend to believe we 'deserve' better, when in fact we get out of it what we put into it.  We the people are ultimately responsible for the condition and quality of our lives.

Hear, hear! ;-)

Wow, Waffler, you are demonstrating your arrogance.  Voting for power is among the worst evils we have embraced, thus pitting all against the other.  A stiff necked people do not want to be led?  Where the hell are you leading them?  Maybe they are not stiff necked but merely opposing your 'leadership.'  Free people are not to be 'led' — that was the whole point of declaring independence from those that lay claim to the people.

Sometimes I, too, succumb to this common trait.  Why do we do that? ;-)

It is not a bug, it's a feature.  A concerted effort has been made to dumb down the populace, particularly with regards to the rights of man, individual responsibility, and the rule of law.  Slavery is still the number 1 racket in the world, it's just been perfected enough for people to demand it as a right.  Ever the yoke is tightened.  There's not much difference in domesticating animals and conditioning children.  A farm animal does not know it's fate.

Charles Sprading makes a great distinction.  In the religion of power, power is good, and the punishment of heresy is called justice.  The temptation is great and the rewards immense — what is the alternative?  The truth may set one free but does not grant power over others.  Giving up freedom for power usually results in slavery — there's only so much room at the top of the pyramid.

"Judges do often tell juries of their rights to nullify," really?  Name one.

... and taking the loss.

I must take responsibility for my own delusions.  Con artists succeed by catering to my own misconceptions and base desires.  I have to admit that I do not know everything and can be taken advantage of due to my own 'misconceptions' of which I am completely unaware.  Once I 'buy' the delusion, and am vested in it, the less likely I will want to drop it even as evidence begins to pile up.  The only solution to delusion is turning around...

It is interesting that the meaning of the word 'statism' is unknown to most people governed by statism.  Statism includes monarchy, dictatorship, socialism, communism, fascism — any form of government in which the people are considered to be subjects.  A republican form of government is inherently distributed, with the rights of the people paramount and inalienable.  A republican form of government is regulated by the people, not the other way around.  Learn the word statist, and the left-right paradigm is shattered.  Note that 'liberalism' was the term used for a republican form of government.  It's not right vs left, it is liberalism vs statism.