That's a sticky one!

Thanks Logan and Anon

There are many politicians that are ethical and believe in honesty and not compromising their integrity, but unfortunately few last one term or end up in the White House.

Yes, it could be said of any central government - Logan, please forgive me, can you wrap what you just said into one sentence? Hitler was a stupid painter from Vienna - cream rises to the top but it kills you. No, Anon, its because of our ignorance and greed, what is the fear you refer too?

Yes Archer and Robert, you said it for me - by the way it is a different Robert and not me. Robert are you the Robert I know (your son is Larry)? Another aspect to all this is "Projectionism" a strategy to cover perpetrators same crime - the media and politicians use it all the time especially Fox (faux) News.

Oops liar

It's lies that unleash the dogs of war; it's lies that hold back the timid and fearful, but in the end its the lies that eventually defeat the lier. A lie once spoken is the costliest of all mistakes, integrity is immediately compromised and trust shattered.

Mike, ignorance in this case is in the eye of the beholder. Read what I said and again and you might, just might, get it right. Marx's Communist Manifesto, well, that's for another day...

Brilliant and so apropos the Bush administration - Cheney, Rove, and Rice (I know, I missed out a few) really had this quote going for them. Anon, perhaps the Fed.

P.s. To have Wisdom there must also be Ethics, Honor, and Courage. We drift from Wisdom when we attach ourselves to things; we become wiser when we start to detach ourselves from the material world.

Excellent! even the founder of Honda made the same comment. Archer, your observation is correct; now for the answer? The fundamentals of Wisdom are very simple, Love, compassion, and knowledge. As Sophocles said "Wisdom outweighs any wealth" Wisdom is not something you teach; wisdom is the soul of the heart and can only be understood by its owner.The sooner we go back to having ethics in the classroom the sooner we may, if we are lucky, have ethics in the board room.

Frederic, you would have made a great Libertarian - and yes you are right such as California's Proposition 8 "Who will dare to say that force has been given to us to destroy the equal rights of our brothers?" FB "The Law"

Which one of Reagan's speech writers wrote that? The dollar will dive as deflation turns into inflation. Socialize our losses and privatize our profits that is the motto of the GOP, Perhaps with Obama we will have intelligent design of the financial kind. Its easy; take away all tax exemptions let everyone earning over 50k per household pay 15% tax (no exceptions) and get rid of the IRS and if churches put their little finger into ANY political proposal or amendment take away their tax exemption too; And so on and so on and so on.

I would have given it 5 if it wasn't for "All"

They are the Federal Lackeys

By ignorance and intolerance

Manipulation of others is mans biggest folly and the worlds saddest times

Mike the key here is that man is nature we so often think of ourselves aside from nature - we above all should be the stewards of nature yet we are not because of greed and ego. Unattachment is the only way to become one with nature. Consequence is a result regardless of the reason not a philosophy - thanks for the retort - it's always good to listen to others in a quest for your own understanding.

Consequences can be dealt by nature for reason's of good or bad. Your Self, without religion or any other man-made manifestation, is both rewarding and punishing. Consequences are just the results of Self. Is it nature when you are attacked in a dark alley; the consequences of which are not very rewarding? The argument is mute when the consequences of natures wrath destroys your life. If only Abraham had met Buddha.

Three good one's.

Wow! I couldn't have said it better. Great quote and one for the books. Good is good regardless of God. If there was no religion in the world there would still be those who are good and those who are not. And those who are not would probably start a religion.

Love it! Though sometimes it is words that can galvanize a nation

How appropriate for the last eight years. It's the Peter Paul principle taken to the extreme

O yes, bring on the Gladiators and let the games begin. Mike where the hell do you come from saying gays have no rights - its talk like that which brings about division and hatred. In a civilized world (which we are not in) gays have the same rights as anyone else including marriage. Time will prove me right - unfortunately many will suffer while they wait for their to be acknowledged. The circus did indeed divert our attention from the true issues.

An irresponsible statement - it just hits the mark for those who have no answer. Complain, bitch, and and moan all you wish. Reston is not the one parasitical in this case but those who confess freedom and liberty under the guise of non-government, as you have no remedy but rancor. I too like Lysander, but in this case he has a fit of paranoia - he must have just received his tax bill. Kind and compassionate folk, prey tell me how are we to finance our schools, universities, the arts, roads, hospitals, water, energy, those who are unable to pay for healthcare, the mentally challenged, and those who have no job and are able to find work. If only this world was a kinder place and we look upon all humans as family this kind of rhetoric would be obsolete. Giving money to the poor or needy or to any other worthy cause is not that un-enforced tax. Are those just to rely on our compassion No, No, grow-up. The world will always have a contribution from our income - it is the way.