Actually, that is the very argument against the 'greatness' of democracy.

Lincoln has said many quotable phrases about liberty and sovereignty -- unfortunately, I find his actions in support of nationalist government rather than federal government. The distinction is the difference between sovereign people acting in their sovereign capacity and a sovereign 'lord' to whom all the people must obey.

I don't think the quote is referring to the founders specifically. "Unruly men, disturbers of the peace, men who resent and denounce the insolence of elected persons" have always defended their personal responibility -- and must continue to today if liberty is to be respected at all.

I remember the NYT Pentagon Papers. In those days the Times and Washington Post were far more balanced in their reporting and did a fair bit of investigative journalism. But with time, access to government required toeing the line -- reporters who write stories the President doesn't like will not be allowed at Presidential press conferences or will not be called on for questions.

Waffler truly amazes me. He stands as a warning to all as to what can happen if you expose yourself to public education programs and mainstream media and work for the federal government for your career. He loves his programming, as was integral in the programming. Today, those old programs do not reach the current generation -- so new ones are developed. The study of mass psychology continues, and those that surrender their minds to the boob tube as viewers, become the unwitting tools of the producers.

Hey, I am all for programming -- that's why I pick my OWN programs and books. I know I am being influenced, I know that the producer is trying to lead me somewhere. Like hearing a catchy tune, it isn't long that I'll start humming it to myself. I catch myself all the time acting like an automaton going through the motions habitually rather than from reason. But I return to conscious choice, and remember my own intentions -- and if the TV doesn't jive with them, I change the program.

When telling the truth is labeled 'hate-speech,' not because it is false but because it condemns the liar, we make a criminal out of the truth-teller. The real criminal escapes while the whistleblower is called a racist or anti-Semitic (tricks of the trade) -- there is no defense against a fallacious, ad hominem attack, the damage is in its inference, not in proof. Lies are real hate speech.

The Truth cuts like a knife -- that's why it is best tempered with Love. ;-)

The media will hype up every nuance of sexual deviancy while ignoring Congress's passing of unconstitutional legislation. The amount of time spent on Bill and Hillary's scandals pales in comparison to the coverage of actual acts of government. Little by little, Washington DC has been voting for itself control of the land and labors of the States and the People -- powers they have simply assumed without ANY media coverage, except to justify the power grab.

I believe RBE has returned several times since his post above under different monkiers - RBE, RBESRQ, Robert somewhere in Europe, and a couple others. Glad you came back, Robert!

50 years later, after the media has devolved into a straight political propaganda machine, it turns out that people actually DO think for themselves. When there were only 3 TV channels and 3 major newspapers that everyone followed, the press had more control and their power became immense. But today, broadcast TV isn't even on my list of sources for news. Watching broadcast news after being away from it for so long I cannot help to say to myself, "What? This is complete BS!" Apparently I am not the only one. (!!)

Has anyone noticed that the newscasts sound as contrived as Clinton's speeches? Probably because the same people are writing them.

When have Americans elected a candidate already deep in scandal and corruption -- it usually takes a couple terms to rack up that much damage. If Hillary is elected, the fraud would be so obvious, she may be impeached before she even swears in.

I do believe my fate is directly connected to my character. Integrity and humility help keep my own passions in check. If I am not my word, what else is left?

How about the Patriot Act -- still on the books, no right to habeas corpus. How about all the statutes and regulations for legalizing medication? Vaccination laws have caused the deaths of thousands of innocent children, and has been the cause of autism for decades -- the data has been in for a while, settlements made to victims are not reported as a condition. What about asset forfeiture laws? Find a pot seed in your car, lose your car -- or your house! Legalized plunder has become a way of life now. Read 'The Law' by Frederic Bastiat.

Americans are not quite as uninformed as the powers-that-should-not-be have hoped. I think the fix has been in for a while, but there are just too many eyes open to cover it up now. But who knows, I thought the 9/11 controlled demolition was obvious, but the media and gov still toe the party line. Bin Laden had been dead for years (as had been reported in Pakistan at the time) before SEAL Team 6; however, Osama's body was quickly buried at sea and Team 6 is dead. But the charade has continued. However, it is safe to say, Trump was not part of any of that. He was supposed to beat the Republican candidates so that Hillary could win hands down. Thank God for whistleblowers!! ;-) The question remains: can the rigged game be beat? If anyone can, a casino owner could. ;-)

Excellent!! When did we start to believe that institutionalizing people was the same as civilizing ourselves?

If a society subsidizes corralling people together and commanding them to line up, sit down, pay attention, see the school nurse, meet with guidance counselor, shower in groups, and general 'socialization' from age 5 to 18 (and longer for those ear-marked to 'lead') in 'institutions of learning' strapped to a desk for the rest of their lives (if all works out well), how 'sane' can the populace end up being?

It just boggles the mind to see how far collectivists have gone to eradicate nearly any true individuality, any true accountability, any true choice in life. Just a series of programs designed and tested to make obedient citizens that have been conned out of their power. Treating people like domesticated animals is the rule now -- it's just that some people are treated like polo ponies and others as mules.

People who have not been exposed to decades of 'socialization' are more apt to think for themselves and reject collectivist viewpoints on their face.

At least there is some university president willing to address student demands for censorship. College sure has changed since I attended many decades ago. How has it gotten turned around? As Mike has alluded, Kennedy makes a poor argument for freedom of speech .

For the pathologically political, the simple rule is to never admit or deny anything, simply accuse your opponent of doing what you do as a matter of practice. It's called The Clinton Rule.

Get caught molesting women, call the accusers crazy, and accuse your opponent of molesting women and being a misogynist .
Get caught using your foundation as a slush fund, accuse your opponent of using his foundation as a slush fund.
Get caught causing violence at Trump rallies, accuse Trump of inciting violence at his rallies.
Get caught making racial slurs, accuse Trump of being a racist.
Get caught lying over and over, and accuse Trump of being dishonest.

What just confounds me is how many people actually buy it? They must be hypnotized or something -- I don't get it.

Waffler, I do not consider tolerance to be a virtue -- it all depends on what is being 'tolerated.' I respect a man of conviction, even if I may not agree with him. I can tolerate any speech but not every action. My intolerance is not towards a sect or a people but towards the act. Am I now tolerant of socialists? My dissent is from their principle not the people themselves. I can tolerate a fool, just not his foolishness.

Right on. Quick: what ARE the American fundamentals? I bet people's answers would surprise you.

The key here is personal responsibility -- subjects of a Crown, Pope, or Commander-in-Chief think of themselves differently than those who do not recognize such claims. Some of us still think for ourselves and provide for ourselves -- we know who we are, and we know when someone is trying to lay claim to what is not theirs.

What is unique about the American? Independence! Those demanding perpetual subsidy by their neighbors are inherently un-American, since Americans without compulsion have been the most charitable in the world. The right to steal via legislation is un-American (among other things).

We can only return to fundamentals if we know what they are.

COURAGE! And tell no lies.

It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Cute, but only true when 'what we say, do, and say we do' match up with each other. The Clinton's are poster children for double-think -- whatever they have been caught doing, they deny it and claim that the accuser is doing it. Like Nixon, I wonder if they end up believing their own BS.

Once integrity went out the window, it's been a no-holds-barred onslaught for the seats of power and influence. But the people have been waking up!

Bill Clinton is a disgrace and an embarrassment for the country. Hillary is his partner in crime.

This is the establishment politician's dogma, whether on the left or the right. Democrats have become so conned that the party of peace now incites wars and violence. I mean, hasn't Russia always been the friend of socialists? Why now does Hillary incite war against them? The hypocrisy of American parties smells to high heaven -- all the rest of the world can see it as plain as day.

BUT Americans are waking up -- Trump is proof. Watching the political parties squirm as Americans repudiate party politics and politically correct 'everything' is exciting. Americans are trying to throw the bums out, but the bums have control of the electronic ballot boxes with no paper trail. If we wanted fair and accurate elections, we would use the same techniques a BANK uses -- can you imagine a bank that allowed you to make deposits without keeping a paper trail of the transactions? Give me a break -- this is out and out election fraud, and it's been going on for a while now.

The press was more than compliant during the Bush presidencies. So political party is not the true dividing line. The 'show' is the battle between too opposing parties, but no more realistic than Hulk Hogan wrestling Randy Savage. Trump has been a player in the show and has flipped the script. Guys like Ron Paul (who was the real Republican candidate) have been ignored happily by the establishment GOP. The Tea Party movement resulted. But Ron Paul is boring -- no dirt for the media. ;-) The media circus is starting to crack -- the agenda has never been more obvious, it may as well be Pravda in the 1950's. Following the strings of the marionettes is all too apparent to anyone who will bother to look.

Thought-provoking indeed. It all depends on 'who' defines right and wrong -- or are right and wrong already built-in? Who says? All ideologies, philosophies, and religions attempt to answer those questions. Is the Truth right?

A 'Benediction' before collective events, before bringing Congress to order, before starting a new project, heck before starting the day, is customary and traditional around the world across the eons. Secularists may prefer to call it Affirmations. Even the Declaration of Independence has a benediction. The benediction is empowering -- and that is its true intent, to give us courage to face opposition to our declarations. The Pledge of Allegiance is a benediction. Making these benedictions as well as receiving them is what forms a person and his/her culture. It is an honorable thing, and it empowers the responsible person. I suppose the conflict is who decides what the benediction 'should' be. Well, that is how you choose a teacher! How can you study under a teacher whose good words you do not agree with?

I cannot truly determine the reach of the power of my visualization -- who can say the power of prayer. But starting the day or a new project with a benediction or affirmation helps me put the work into context and answers the question "why" I am doing whatever I am doing.

Saying 'Amen' then is to declare, 'me too' to the benediction. Shouldn't teachers be helpful in this regard? ;-)

I do not subscribe to the "fragile planet" view -- it's been around a LONG time. However, I am certainly against the pollution of land, water, air, and MINDS. CO2 is not pollution -- add dirt and water, and you have the building blocks of organic life as we know it. CO2 levels have been much higher on Earth many times, and life absolutely flourishes during these periods. CO2 levels lower than what we have today were the same levels observed during the ice ages -- the lower the PPM of CO2 in the atmosphere, the closer to the next ice age we may be. CO2 could double in the atmosphere and plant life would explode -- greenhouse gardeners add CO2 to increase yields. Even the UN Plan for climate change has a target of lowering the global temperature by ONLY less than .01 degrees Celsius in 100 years (!!) -- as if they actually could.

The global warming scare has been debunked so thoroughly that the term 'climate change' was needed to replace it. Of course climate changes and flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, droughts, you name it, have been around since the beginning and will continue forever -- in that regard, the settled science is that human activity has little affect on the weather.

But toxic air, water, land, and MINDS are very real dangers to humanity. Taxing carbon is just another novel way to tax one's power. The natural extension would be to compel everyone to buy carbon offsets for BREATHING and FARTING. Cows in the UK have already been fitted with packs to capture 'bovine flatulence' to reduce greenhouse gases - and of course, they will get special carbon offsets for doing so. To be fair, I believe this plan has failed in the UK, but the devices were developed.