All cogent comments, and may Mark Scott RIP! In my opinion, we began to lose control of the federal government when Lincoln "saved the union", which destroyed the Constitution by destroying the federalist system of state sovereignty, which operated as a complete check and balance against the federal power. Now we only have the three federal branches, and we have a leviathan government with no limits. Take a look at Thomas J. DiLorenzo's book, "The Real Lincoln; A New Look..." Karl Marx sent a letter of congratulations to Lincoln upon his reelection in 1864!