It has nothing to do with all of that crap Mike says. "Policy; a course or plan of action". Anyone breathing has a course or plan of action at all times. When individuals come into contact with each other the more intertwined and complex these plans and courses of actions, from simple family policies and politics to ever larger policies and politics, become. Thus what Aristophanes says is we are all politicians all of the time. If you watch the "high" level politicians currently on the national stage, the beginning of their speeches start with acknowledging how beautiful their wives are, the first rule of politics, they proceed from there to ever larger issues.

I was only referring to your mantra about licensing. Since you seldom adequately or specifically say what the hell you are talking about, I reread the 9th and 10th which concern powers left to the states or the people. I rightly or wrongly feel that the complaints from you are directed at e DC and the Feds. I was only trying to remind you above that most licensing is a function of the various states. Since most states of which I am aware have similar licensing what does it tell you about the rightness or wrongness of the subject or of its politics, left, right or in between. I mean 50 jurisdictions all come up with similar solutions. And these governmental solutions are not brought upon us by the liberals, DC, or big government. They are brought upon us by the diverse politcal cultures of each state. So why do you keep harping on the issue of licensing, and the freedom of the states to do that under the Amendments which you rightly defend. The states are following the constitution in assuming and creating and grabbing any and all powers to which the Constitutiion allows them to do. You got a problem with that?

The so called conservatives (those polluters and destroyers of anything of value intended by the word conservationist) are falling like moths into the fire due to their decades long mantra of pro-life, no taxes, guns, wealth to the wealthy. while at the same time they have put our blessed Nation 10 trillion dollars into debt by selling lucrative bonds to their rich friends, the Russians and Chineese. The majority of licenses are issued by States, apparently this is one of the rights reserved to them by the 9th and 10th. As far as the Constitution being some perfect document even the founders did not think so, that is why they gave us the Amendment Process. That act alone testifies to what great democratically minded men they were.

As least some commentators make you laugh, Mike. In your tortured life of being a victim, suffering compelled compliance and general bordom which shows in your shallow and trivial posts.

IRS is bureay or agency of the Department of the Treasury. It has an office in DC. Puerto Rico is cool though, so IRS going there is really neat. It is not however a corporation. You have improved a smidge, If you write the stuff you do with a straight face they need you in Germany. They need some good holocaust deniers. You are ignorant and uneducated but you do have courage. I am the stupid one for even communicating with you. As some say Obama is wrong to talk to that Iranian guy. But I feel your stupidiy and any others like you need to be confronted so the disease does not spread. You should be locked up and quarantined.

If I were a betting man I would bet that you are simple run of the mill tax cheat and you grasp at any straw to justify your robbing of your fellow citizens. Alas I am not a betting man.

The colonies had slavery, the constitution allowed it to continue. Only when the Constitution was Amended did it officially cease, thus government of the colonies and the USA recognized, encouraged and institutionalized "errant nonsense". Later rather than sooner and after a bloody war did government get it right. Excess revenues under Clinton were used to reduce the National Debt, due to fiscal responsibility. Four years of multi-billion dollar surpluses in a row. The right wing complained that "the surplus belongs to the people". The right wing fails to also state that "the National Debt belongs to the people". Nice to hear from you Warren.

The answer to your Foreign Tax question can be found in Pub 17, Chapter 5, Page 43. Ignorance is forgiveable, the desire to be a stay ignoriant is not. A teacher/professor must exercise forbearance towards a learning and inquisitive student. A student without motivation or ambition to learn, who does not do his homework, and through lack of character, shows disrespect towards his intellectual and academic superiors should be thrown out of school. Your expressions of incredulity towards the most mundane knowledge goes to the heart of your problem. Why don't you quit this site and spend your time learning before you keep mouthing off about things you know nothing about like the Fed Reserve, and the "fundamental make-up of the USA".

Yeah Jim, you and the commies hate the liberals equally. That is because you and the commies hate freedom equally. You may stop short of shooting them, you just want to make them shut up, so your propaganda becomes paramount. In spite of yourself Jim your true colors often shine through. It bemuses me constanly that folks come on a site like Liberty-tree and all they do is bash the idea of liberty.

Make it stop or make it go, that is the question? Regulate or deregulate! Obviously even after 232 years the American people have still not learned to govern themselves, hell no one can keep their hands out of the till or the cookie jar. Thus we all have to watch each other, thus government, oversight, prosecution, and jail.

Only the institutionalizing of slavery in the south, comes to mind just now, as a negative result of government action. On the positive side I recall Lady Birds call to beautify America, or least folks "just don't throw trash out of your car window". The power of the bully pulpit is renown. I wish it had been used in the last 8 years, instead we had to rely on the loyal opposition like Al Gore. I long to see one President stand up in the middle of tax season and encourage and persuade the American people to do it right, and thus bring in the additional two or three hundred billion that is fraudulently ripped off each year. Would be a significant reduction in the annual deficit.

Logan, dear friend, there are no deferments, no draft, unless you as usual are referring to another time (often you are lost in the 1700's pondering the founders).

The dichotomy seen in the philosophies of some on this site is due to a different understanding of human nature. The philosopy of Democracy recognises the humanity of people and the fact that they make mistakes. People are not perfect and neither is their government. A "Natural Law" approach or some other concrete set in stone philosophy like communism or fascism does not allow for mistakes. Strong men who espouse these set in stone philosphies of course are perfection and never err and their every word must be followed. As Churchill said, democracy stinks but not as bad as all the rest.

Inane stupidity! All folks who work in politics and on committties and deal in compromise come off looking guilty. I think it is time especially today to pray for these people. Would you like to have read and ponder that 100 pages of bailout legislation and vote on it. Bless those you choose to serve in this way and when you identify a bum throw him out.

And this is as it should me and is as it is meant to be. This is good.The government is us, we are the government. There is much truth to Jim G's addendum. Our history, probably like the history of all societies, does concern economics and the haves and the have nots. From Hamilton and his New York Mob of haves to Jackson and his Southern and Western Mob of have nots, to Grant etc and his Gilded Age of robber barons to Roosevelt's New Deal. The beauty of America has been in its pragmatism, but will we ever reach economic nirvana.

Pretty good stuff. Makes 'em sound like one and the same, at least as results are concerned.

I admit that Texans cannot tax Rhode Islanders because they have no jurisdiction. Only US Citizens can vote to tax each other. A non voting legal alien may be a resident of Texas all of his life, he thus is a Texan but he is not a citizen. The fundamental make up of our nation is that we are citizens of only one entity and that is The United States of America and we are residents of states. States may have governments and spending and taxing needs that the residents may vote for if they wish. Residents of no state may vote to tax residents of any other state. Only citizens of the United States may vote, and generally through their US Senators and Representatives, to tax each other regardless of where that citizen may reside. In fact the citizens have voted to tax other citizens who live abroad. US Citizens are also taxed on their worldwide income. Be reminded however that the tax law also laws a Foreign Tax Credit for taxes that may have been paid to the foreign nation on the same income. Archer every day you prove that you no nothing about the fundamental make-up of our nation. Signed: The 'ol Professor!

You have tried to stifle my free speech and opinions many times with name calling etcetera. I don't at all feel like a minority on this site. I just feel that I sometimes confront uninformed and unthinking people who I have total faith can become informed and can learn to think, thus I care about expounding truth to them. Logan has come a long way from his "republic not a democracy" mantra as has Mike of Norwalk who admitted "yes we are a democracy" after numerous weeks or months of arguing between me and them on the issue. So I agree with you that I am an individual and so is every one else in this country. Stop thinking of me and them as the masses, and that you are maybe some how more independent or individualistic than they are. You and I are They and Them. We only try to differentiate us from the masses in order to puff ourselves up and feel important.

You are right. The Socratic method entails simplicity. You answered your question several posts ago when you said and I paraphrase but basically you said that you are not a countrymen at least not of mine. I whole heartedly agree. You see Archer you are stuck in the '50's or maybe the '30's. The 1730's that is. Around about 1760's during the French and Indian War the separate colonies began to think of themselves rather as Continentals rather than colonisits. Now we are US Persons, citizens of a continental nation. I am a countryman and a citizen of the entire United States. In that sense Texas and Rhode Island as well as Alaska, Florida and all of the rest are "mine" in terms of citizenship. While I live on 1/3 of an acre and have virtual total rights to privacy on this little patch, as a ciitizen of a continental nation I have additional rights in common with my city, county, state and countrymen to all of the rest. To solve your riddle I suggest you ask yourself why individuals pay for bldgs and books so that others can go and read them free of charge. If you cannot understand or appreciate that then your problem is one of failing to ever make the paradigm shift from the colonist to the continental. Where did you ever get the construction that Texans can tax Rhode Islanders anyway. You are so facetious. Texans cannot vote to tax Rhode Islanders. US Citizens living anywhere including foreign countries can elect reprsentatives who promise to raise or lower their taxe but the taxes must be levied the same throughout the nation. With your superior knowledge of all of this stuff about taxes and the Federal Reserve I don't know why you were not sitting beside Paulson and Bernanke before Congress last week. Let us make it even simpler so you may understand. Explain why or why not folks in one Texas or Rhode Island County can vote to tax another Texas or Rhode Island County. Or make it simpler why or why not can the residents of a city where 51% of a counties population live vote to tax people in the entire county. Join the country it is really a wonderful place afterall.

For Archer to believe that Hitlerian Germany or Stalinist Russia were democracies shows just how depraved or uneducated he is.

Mike I disagree that democratic process is not democracy, I believe that is the essence and soul of democracy. Archer I will answer your question about Texas and Rhode Island if you will first answer why various and sundry nations tax each others citizens in order to run the United Nations. If you can answer that you will have already answered your Texas, Rhode Island dilemmna. But seriously you and I know that your question is simply rhetorical and you have not the desire to formulate an answer. You can often be cute Archer but I seldom find you actually serious.

PS: Thanks for calling off the dogs, Archer.

Submission, servitude, humility, and grace to go along with my fellows when they got me out numbered and the guts, intelligence and fortitude to keep my powder dry and fight for my point of view when the time is right. There is a time to fight and a time to agree or at least get along with others. Archer is free and easy with his adjectives. When it suits his purpose he calls me "arrogant", "high and mighty" etcetera. Now he calls me a "submissive". His style sure does remind me of a tyrant. Again I do appreciate y'alls contribution to the formation of opinion and thought which is the heart and soul of democracy. I only wish you could see the dichotomy between your hatred for democracy and your participation in it. (Mike my County has sent Deputy Sheriffs to Galveston to assist in security. So I am paying for that in a small way through my taxes.)

Question For Mike: What do the folks who want to help in Hurricane Areas do if they do not believe in church? Do you think their Major or City Council could organize a group to help or would you consider that to be some unAmerican activity that it is no business of Government to do. For you to infer that your limited life experience of helping along with your church should be a model for the entire nation is a little bit narrow, I must say.

Jim K and RKA I can respect your desire to keep your home and paint your home as you wish especially in small confines of Texas and the wide open spaces of Alaska. You may not be acquainted with the concept of planned communities or even more restricted ideas like gated communities and condo communities, where the residents and their homeowners association take an acitve and caring interest and pride in the colors and conditions of the residents homes. Now one who is into purple and pink houses may not wish to buy there, but I just mention it to point out that some folks do like to hang together, and coordinate fashinon and style and their asso. meetings I would bet, if I were a bettor, are run on some majority rule concept. Where I live we have 700 bldgs registered as National Historic Places including my 1895 home. Some of the homes fall under a city restriction in which the residents must get approval for any repairs, paint etcetera to insure that they meet with historical preservation standards. I thank you all for your opinions, views, and argument. It is the American Way and democracy at its best. Those despisers of democracy (and they know who they are) are still contributing to it by their use of this site. I truly do appreciate it.