I said it before and I'll say it again, what the heck, Beer is VERY Good, and to hell with the namby pampies that want to tell everyone else what to do. Wanna live longer or help others to do so? Get an Education!! On average each year of school adds 18 months to your life.

Reston, you are pathetic. I would have expected a better argument from you. The fact is that at the most local level, the people (as opposed to the governed) can organize themselves into small units of friends and neighbors for their collective defense. These small units arm themselves (as opposed to the local government armng them) and then place themselves at the command of the local level of government. In turn, local governments issue orders to their militias to assemble under the command of a higher level government, and so on, up to the level of the state or province. These forces are in addition to the Organized National Guard. The Army Reserve does not fall into this type of organization as they are at all times under the direct command of the Federal Government, which may or may not be friendly. This is the genius of our system, that the People have the capability to spontaneously arm and organize. It is this ability that keeps tyranny at bay. Especially including tyranny that would attempt to disarm the Militia.

Look at the world we live in folks. Look at the size of our country in land and population. Look at our wealth. Now really look at the size of the military, counting The reserve forces, the Guard and Active military, we have something on the order of 3.2% of our population involved in the armed forces in any capacity. That is not a large military force. A large military force looks like Soviet Russia, 10-15% of it's population on Active duty at any given time, with mandatory, universal conscription. Huge wealthy countries like ours get to keep their wealth because of those 'large' military complexes.

Well I'll be one of the 5-7 million insurgents in the US. Then we'll see who the better fighting force is. I love a good fight to the death!!

Humanists huh? Sounds like te left wing of the Democratic Party to me. Their wacko ramblings will keep them out of power for generations to come, thank God!!

Well folks, I am both a veteran of 3 wars having served on 3 continents besides our home, and I am also a Life Member of the VFW, so let me reinforce Resolution number 27. Other countries look to us to see how practical liberty works, and many shy away because of the robust personal$ commitment it requires, much preferring the safety of the governed masses. Testoseone-poisoned cowboy, eh Reston? You are a worthless piece of slime. You are unfit and unworthy to be a citizen of our Republic You need to leave the US, hell you are probably a French national anyway, you puke. And I use my real name ad locaion,becase I am not afraid to defend my position ormy country you pansy!!

In the final analysis, had the South the military/industrial resources, they would have made good their escape from the Union. They did and still do have the right to secede, and their success or failure would still depend wholly on main force of arms. This perforce entails great hardships for the residents of any state, which I believe rightly tempers any rash Seccessionist feelings. That being said, should the central government indeed by its arbitrary and contrary actions to the civil good of a State and its residents - that State and its residents do indeed still have the right and means to effect their liberty. That is the beauty of our Republic, and the primary reason for individual ownership of small arms and the political reason for the existance of the National Guard. The National Guard is primarily the State's Military force-in-being, and is only a Reserve Component of the Federal military establishment. A great check and balance on our continued freedom and prosperity folks. A y'all that want to change this state of affairs in our Republic should well think twice, and then think again. Some things are best left the hell alone.

Would that this were the case. And EVERY new 'freedom' is tightly licensed and regulated by one or another level of government (Driver's Licenses, Pilot Licenses, Engineering Licenses, etc) precisely because they are not enumerated as "rights". Interesting that there is no "right" to abortion or housing or healthcare enumerated in the Bill of Rights. Some things the government runs hot and cold on it seems. One thing is certain, for every license that the government 'grants' it reserves the right to withhold the privelidge conveyed by the license. So we have a society in which parents that are deliquent in child support can lose their "privelidge" to drive (and hence earn a living and pay child support!) without significant review, or lose property because another individual will make "better" use of it.

I logged in late to this thread I guess. As far as the quote is concerned, bang on! The climate change discussion is something else again. I do know and understand that the the Earth's climate does change over time. One could make an agrument that Man's contribution to the atmosphere has 'saved' us from a pending Ice Age, perhaps the very one that scientists were warning us about at the very first Earth Day. If in fact there is too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, then we should concern ourselves with how to remove it. Seems to men that is the function that trees and vegatation plays in the grand scheme of things. Plant more trees and vegatation. And we will not radically alter our behavior as a species. Science will have to 'discover' a way out in the form of new applications of current knowledge or in a breakthrough in energy technology. That is why we pay for their services, not to tell us that we have to STOP and revert to a lowered standard of living. We are not going to listen to that noise. In the meantime our lives go on, I will continue to fly my small private plane, drive my SUV and air condition my house using existing technology. And anyone or anything that gets in my way is my avowed enemy. You wanna take your chances with me, bring it on. Now we are back to the political, not the practical discussion.

First things first. Any system that does not recognize and place great value on the property rights of individuals first cannot long stand without robust applications of force against the most productive segment of society.

Bang on helorat!! I am constantly reminding the unwashed that we are not living in a democracy, but a republic founded on democratic principles. That I believe is the source of our nation's political strength and adaptability, which will hopefully endure long after we are gone. So many good people have invested their lives and their honor for our Republic. We need to remember that in our political arguments. There really is an abyss out there.

The Clintons loved to govern. And the sad fact is that so many people voted for these sleazeballs, and likely will again. In the Clintons world, the individual serves the State, not the reverse. How do people like this get into elected office? Note to the Federal Government: Remember what started the First American Revolution, and constantly endeavor to prevent the need for a Second.

Hey guys, wait one Odie-Cologne minute here. Our Republic has a VOLUNTEER MILITARY. Hello, anyone catching this one? I have served in theatre, been there, and done that. So has my son and my daughter. We in the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines all volunteered for this job. So STOP with the mindless prattle about tearing sons, daughters, fathers and mothers away from their families. We all volunteered for this duty. It is a privilege and honor to serve our country folks. You can argue about the Commander in Chief's mental faculties and motives all you want, but DO NOT drag us uniformed folks into the fight. We have a sworn duty to perform, and we do it for the likes of the Clintons and the Bushs of the world and whomsoever THE PEOPLE elect to lead our Republic. And this Republic has not had to resort to conscription since 1973. Know this, us folks in the military don't want conscription anymore than you do, so leave that off the table. If you do not want to fight for our country, then don't. That is your freedom. We in uniform do not get to pick the fight, we just have to win it.

Given the limits of my fellow man, I prefer to take my chances at success than plod along for an assured state of mediocrity. And there is great need of people willing to shoulder debt, else with whom would the wealthy invest their money in? And the freedoms we enjoy are still assured I think by the fact that the armed people in the US far exceed the US military strength, and that our military would be highly unlikely to take up arms against the People they are sworn to defend. Now the police and other "Security" organs have no such restraint. Indeed they would do their best to enforce unjust infringements upon our liberties. Fortunately they are no match for the armed public at large in pitched battle. Call me a pessimist, but I think that is the greatest defense against oppression we have. And if you think the US Public is oppressed, I recommend that you take a world tour - then think again.

True Republicanism. Not the political party, the idea of a Republic. A beautiful thing, evn one as bashed about as ours is.

A slippery slope methinks. Who educates the public and to what end? That guns kill and they should be banned? I think that it is the role of our political system, not the government itself - to educate the people. Else the Teachers become the Masters. On the other hand, compulsory education (not training) is a blessing far outweighing the price we pay for it, and somehow we avoid the worst excesses of tyranny, notwithstanding the 'Patriot Act' an excreble assault on our liberties as any thought up by King George (the British king, not the American wannabe) and an insult to any right thinking American that has taken the time to read and understand it.

Aside from the reinterpretation that my neighbor warren makes, when a discussion of the framers of the constitution takes place we are already several years past the American Revolutionary victory. These men were attempting to craft a government that they could defend and one that they could if need be overthrow more easily than the British. They had no choice but to choose liberty. Certainly they felt themselves superior to the British - because they were. And perhaps there is a certain elitism shared among people that truly value real liberty, not right or left or liberal or conservative, because they all have their shortcomings morally and politically. Liberty - it needs enough suppression that we are constantly on guard to protect it, and must never be deprived of the ability to protect it in both our private and public dealings, writings and utterances.

Noncur as written, respectfully. The government's job is not to protect me from assault as an individual, but to protect the country from assault collectively. And it must perforfce do this without infringing upon the liberties we have and may not be taken away or usurped by the government. Nobody said it was easy, but folks who work in the government (like me)volunteered, hopefully with the knowledge that well-educated or not - John Q Public is the real boss. Anyone in government that loses sight of that needs to resign. That includes the leadership of all 3 branches of the government.

A vital piece of wisdom, especially when one considers that one person's utopia is nearly always another's nightmare.

Well said Eric, well said.

She should be deported to wherever her ancestors came from. Doesn't fit anymore, eh? We can fix that, but we can't fix stupid. Is she still in office even?

How this Republic was blessed by it's founders. Notwithstanding the politically motivated constant sniping we practice, both Left and Right, I think President Jefferson would be proud, but not terribly surprised that the Republic he helped to found was alive and well, and in constant turmoil. And I think he'd like the turmoil most of all, that we can argue, sometimes bitterly and still maintain the unity of our nation. Worth fighting for...worth dying for... but most of all, worth living for.

And God forbid that we should actually get a Libertarian administration voted in. It would be too much for our Democratic friends I fear. Activist government means Government telling us what to do, and I don't like it, whether we are talking about cars, schools, drinking, guns, I KNOW what needs doing - I do not want or need a law telling me what to do.

This from Johnny Rodriguez Social Studies teacher in the book "Starship Trooper". Call me a simpleton, but when I read it at the tender age of 16 it made so much sense that I joined the US Army and am retiring next year after 31 years. The only question is, how much force do you apply? Ask the Taliban in Afghanistan or the Baathists in Iraq. The larger issues are settled by larger amounts of force.

That says it all. It is very hard to teach common sense though, and those without it are the ones that parade their degrees and suchlike to prove that they are the experts. Private schools are assured a future in our republic.