Moore is an artist.

I completely reject Hands dismally lacking description of liberty.

Waffler, are you talking about rational self-interest, or do you just mean men shouldn't think. Muskrats live for the moment. Potted plants live for the moment. Humanity's ability to form logical conclusions from past experiences and apply those conclusions to future problems is the only thing that separates us from the beasts.

As for the quote, it would appear that Bacon thought little of colleges, where more often than not one is asked to either believe and take for granted or talk and discourse, but rarely to weigh and consider.

Waffler, I like Fox news because Shepard Smith does a better job of presenting the news and mixees in a lot less less left-wing spin. And Fox News tends not to shy away from stories that make the Obama administration look bad, which these days is any time they try to do anything. I think you are confusing the popular right-wing opinion shows on Fox News with the nightly news program. Don't worry, its a common mistake, and not as bad as those who think Keith Olbermann is a journalist.

I wasn't putting Old Fritz down for being a monarch. I was putting him down for being inconsistent. He chanpioned many of the causes of the Enlightenment but when the rubber hit the road, he still believed that God had given him from birth the authority to rule over the Prussians. At least good ole Adolf's rhetoric was consistent, consistently evil, but consistent.

Its a roundabout way of saying that we must learn from the past if we are to improve our future, but then the Irish do seem to like roundabouts.

The quote is true, but a little disingenuous coming from an absolute monarch.

Waffler, I'm not sure you got the gist of the quote. But I'm also not sure if I understand your analysis of it.

That the slow road to tyrrany has been expertly explained by so many should have presented the masses from being duped so easily.

Wealth earned is virtuous. I'll will assume that Franklin means Liberty in the general sense, as in other men's liberty, since one cannot trade their own liberty for power. I'll give three stars since I had to give Franklin the benefit of the doubt and assume he means "Sell not virtue to purchase wealth (unearned), nor (another man's) Liberty to purchase power”.

Few men understand liberty fully. But those who do not understand liberty more often seek to be the master of others, not the servant of others.

Mantras might get you elected, but they will not sustain you forever. Eventually, actions speak louder than words.

It is a cruel trick to be forced, through reason, to agree with somone that I generally disdain. I would suggest that Hamilton never posessed the experience that he is advocating.

For anyone interested in truth instead of platitudes, I recommend these two sources: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/06/heartland_conference_establish.html http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_reports.htm #1 The first is the best-researched article I have found refuting the IPCC's assessments. The second is a direct link to IPCCs latest assessment reports. I must warn that it will be necessary to set aside at least two hours each for the two publications and many more hours each to research the sources of the material. A general understanding of the physical sciences is highly recommended. Enjoy.

Waffler, go preach it to the third world. Few on this forum will buy into your wealth redistribution scams.

The anthropogenic global warming mystics have yet to notice the superabundant accumulation of facts against it. The U.S. has the cleanest water and air that it has had since the beginning of the industrial revolution, in spite of government regulations that encourage hiding problems instead of fixing problems.

The greatest of infidelities is the idea that there is no truth.

RBESRQ, my compliments. "I would say that Liberty is the product of self-discipline." Well said. As to the fascist state, I believe that every one that has yet existed grew from a socialist party.

Propoganda is no danger to a rational mind.

This quote reminds me of the writings of Nostradamus, so vague that it must be true. Also, Mr. Cooke leaves out those who employ reason (as the founders did) instead of the mysticism of the idealist or the wavering of the cynic. It is a small minority but still worth mentioning.

I don't make a point of agreeing with Hamilton but I must concede this point. I would also say that the threat of physical violence is the most powerful director of individual conduct.

Imperialism has historically proven deadly to many states.

"People don't need to think in a different way...they need to THINK period." I'm jealous I didn't think of that. Well played.

Editor, Did you intend this quote as a foil to Bertrand Russell's preemtive strike approach to nuclear diplomacy?