Waff, tell the Jews in Nazi Germany, the millions in Stalins slave labor camps, the thousands in Fidels prisons, the people in Rawanda being slaughtered, the millions starving to death in N Korea, etc, tell them about freedom and liberty thanks to the government. Our Bill of Rights was designed to protect us against the excesses of government, which are legend.

Let us hope that Mike is right.

3 cheers for Mike, Carlton , and Archer. Very well said.

Perhaps if "Honest Abe" and read this quote, and followed it, we would not have had the bloodiest war in our history.

Due process is a wonderful thing. It's overlooked ,however, when the drug cops break down your door because your neighbor said you were dealing dope out of your home.

The right of free speech includes offensive speech. We have bought into so much political correctness that some are afraid to express and opinion that might offend someone.

Thomas Paine was one of our greatest Americans. It was interesting that religous fundamentalists of that time called him an Atheist which he certainly wasn't. He, like Jefferson and several of our Founders was a Deist.

Let's not forget that the Constitution and The Bill of Rights was primarily designed to protect the citizens from their own government. We need that protection now more than ever.

Governments have always used (created) "emergencies" to keep the people in line. Watch the movie "1984" for a great example.

If a liberal democrat was caught in a cheap hotel in bed with a goat, the liberal press would put it on page 21 , if they even reported it at all. If an Obama non-believer steps on a crack in the sidewalk, it's page one news.

Let's see now, Waffler is just as smart as Thomas Jefferson. Waff, no one can be as stupid as you seem, so I must conclude that you are putting us all on. Which is it?

Our government is now, and has been for sometime, completely OUT of control.

If a cop stops you and finds a speck of Hemp in your car , he can take your car on the spot and doesn't even have to arrest or charge you with a crime. No "Due Process' necessary. If you are carrying a few hundred dollars in cash, your money can be confiscated as "fruits of a drug deal". It's now a crime in this country to carry cash over a few dollars. Think I'm wrong ? Read "Bad Trip" or "Drug Crazy". Stuff like this is why we call 'em "Police States", and our country is just that. LEAP.CC

It's so much easier to control the citizens when they are disarmed. The Obamunists and the usual suspects are trying to do it right now.

Governments use fear to control the people and ours is no different. Terrorism is a great example, but there are many others.Control freaks are everywhere wanting to manage your life. Sugar is "bad" so they want to tax soft drinks. Can't let you eat popcorn in the movies, it has coconut oil on it. Those nasty old trans-fats are bad so we have to ban those. Your SUV is causing the seas to rise so get a bicycle to ride to work. The "big nanny" in D.C. will protect you from yourself. Eat your veggies. Obama , Nancy, Barney, Algore and the gang know what's best for you so pay attention.

Majority rule is fine when electing the high school queen, but becomes tyranny when nations adopt it.

This quote is right on target.

Where are people like Paine when you need them. If there's any around, they surely aren't in Washington. Paine, Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Washington and the like, were giants, now we have pygmies running (ruining?) the country.

...and at a cost of over 70 billion per year.

Here's the scary part, those yahoos in Washington are passing new laws every day and most of them only make matters worse. A great example is our drug laws that make drugs more available to children, enrich thugs world wide, increase crime in our streets, fill our jails with non violent people and corrupt law enforcement agencies. LEAP.CC

Our congress isn't concerned about "consent" from anyone unless it gets them elected. Getting elected is all most of them care about. A good example is Arlen Specter who switched parties only because polls showed he would lose in 2010.

Waff, are you totally nuts. There is not one shred of evidence that David Koresh was bent on "murdering his flock". Janet "the horrible" Reno should have been tried for mass murder in the Waco case.

I seriously doubt that the Constitution allows Obama to take over the American auto industry, or a thousand other things our out of control government does and has done. And this includes Repubs and Dems alike.

Democracies always become Mobocracies.

Francois, you are truly ignorant. Please stay away from the U.S. as we have enough lefties here as it is.