We are living in a time when due process and equal protection are dying on the vine. Government now finds it fashionable to nationalize businesses by use of undefined and unlawful procedures. Government can fire private citizens from supposedly private businesses. Government can abrogate contracts that were freely entered into by independent parties. Supreme court justices are chosen on the basis of whether they are empathetic to some special interest group. In effect they are chosen on they willingness to favor certain groups at the expense of others (in antipathy to equal protection). We are entering into another era of Progressive Fascism much like America experienced under Wilson and FDR (who went so far as to regulate chickens in a coop). Now, of course, the technological know how exists to really enforce fascism like never before. It's a brave, new world.

Ironic (or maybe not) that this speech was given during the progressive Wilson administration who had no problem sending in the troops to bayonet veterans who tried to exercise their free speech rights. Free speech for me but not for thee; ever the theme of progressives.

Democracy is the rule of the untalented, unambitious, unintelligent, and envious majority.

The goal of any good constitution is the rule of law and the protection of everyone's natural rights of life, liberty, and property. Political harmony is neither necessary or even desirable. If everyone is a mind-numbed drone party yes-man, and never challenges the popular idea even when it's wrong, how are we ever going to correct the inevitable mistake? We would find ourselves living in an Orwellian world of Big Brother politics, where if one disagrees the inevitable outcome would be a bullet to the back of the head. Political harmony does not lead to justice and freedom. The Soviets had political harmony as do the Chi-Coms, and I've never seen a lot of justice or freedom in those societies.

That's an interesting idea, Archer; a right to opt out upon reaching the age of maturity. So, if one did opt out and chose to remain living here, would he be a resident alien or still a citizen? A citizen of the State only and not of the United States? Could one be drafted to fight in a war of the United States if he were part of a States militia?

There is talk again about a Constitutional convention of the States. It might be time to enact one final amendment: this union is dissolved. If the Federal government ignores that amendment as it ignores so many others, armed conflict is the final alternative. We have every right to abolish the United States, contrary to Waffler's opinion.

Perhaps we should encourage the rest of the world to actually say things about liberty instead of "security", "social justice", and all of those various "safety nets" progressive-socialists are so fond of. Of course we all know they don't have much to say about liberty. They would actually have to care about liberty and freedom to speak about it. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

I don't know if you've read the Constitution or not, Waffler, but it is very obvious you don't, or won't, grasp it's meaning. I don't know which is worse, to not have the intellectual honesty to have at least read the source document or to be willfully ignorant of it even after having read it. For their political power the Pharisees did the same and so does our own Supreme Court who find "penumbra and emanations" in the Constitution while ignoring clear English. They turn the clear to opaque because it is to their political advantage. Obfuscation is the politician's source of unending power and he will not give it up without a fight.

I'd file this one under comedy if it weren't such a tragedy.

There is nothing more dead than a "living" document. It's more like an un-dead document; a zombie document. By the way, didn't God say, "I am the Lord thy God; I change not."

It's time to cage the politicians and rattle the door from the outside; maybe poke them with a cattle prod too. Now that would be fun.

What's this? You mean I'm not more patriotic by volunteering to be some socialist leech's slave? What kind of propaganda is this?

So, what would be the most "fair" tax? Here is a question. Do rich people value the lives, safety, and education of their children more, less, or the same as poor people? Does a rich man's car traveling down the road wear it out any differently than a poor man's car? Does a rich man get hungry just like the poor man? As Archer pointed out the original Constitutional requirement was that federal taxes be apportioned to the states according to population so that everyone, regardless of situation, paid the same price. Fairness: I'm all for fairness.

"An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation." --John Marshall

The body is the temple of the soul while the gold of the temple is the wealth that the man acquires during his lifetime. When you are breathing your last breath exactly how important is your wealth and wouldn't you wish you'd paid a little more respect to the temple than to the trappings? Likewise, the house is less important than the inhabitant. How important is a well built temple if the soul inside is dead?

I wonder if George Soros can answer that question.

Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's. Does the coin belong to Caesar just because his face is on it? Does your car belong to me if I paint my name on it? The political class will impose unlawful, unjust, merciless, and faithless taxes and expect the sheep to enjoy the shearing.

"Humiliating and disgraceful" is such an apropos description of debt that can never be repaid. How fortunate that we've become used to being humiliated and disgraced over the many years of overspending. As for repaying the Chinese, perhaps it would be just if they weren't repaid considering the goods they sold us were made with child slave labor.

I don't expect governments to have a conscience either for the simple fact they're made up of politicians who practice pragmatism above justice. They are willing to compromise any principle for a vote, just like a board of directors so often are willing to compromise for the balance sheet and even sacrifice the long term well being of the company for the short term share price.

Do you work to live, or do you live to work? Do you eat to live, or do you live to eat? Human beings have the ability to pervert almost any benign thing into something malevolent.

Federal Reserve Notes are nothing more than an illusion. They are worth something only as long as the deluded, dumb masses think it is worth something. When that illusion fades away, toilet paper will be worth more. It at least has a use and is more absorbent and softer than federal reserve notes. The Germans in the Weimar Republic had their illusions about the Deutchmark shattered and it soon became only suitable for building fires. Any currency that is not convertible to a commodity upon demand is not money. It is a promise from unscrupulous people.

It used to be that perpetual war was the method by which central banks extorted money from governments. Nations at war had to borrow money from the banks to finance the war. If they did not the other side would and they would win. In the socialist paradise, central banks use social programs to make money. There is simply not enough money to be taxed to fund government's socialist promises and they borrow to fulfill them. If they don't borrow, the welfare, pension, and social security checks stop and the mob rises up. Banks have always manipulated governments for profit and that manipulation never benefits anyone but the banker. A deal with the devil is never a bargain.

"The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind" which is of course why it is never allowed to exist for long. The republican government does not allow power mad men to become dictators.

Quick...put that one down the memory hole! Most of the laws that regulate, manipulate, and threaten us are unconstitutional and invalid. However, if you don't obey them, "force" will be involved, illegitimate though it may be. Absolutely, Mike. The republic didn't work. Now we're finding that the empire didn't work either. I guess we'll soon find out how the anarchic dark ages work for us.

The UN peace keepers stand by and watch mass murder and in their spare time rape the local children for fun and amusement. Meanwhile, their leaders back in NYC skim billions from funds meant to feed the starving masses. Just the kind of organization anyone would want to put their trust in.