Nothing in this world should be sacred except compassion and kindness towards your fellow man - nothing is absolute - not in this world anyway. As Einstein said "the only constant factor in the Universe is CHANGE" - Though I do agree with you all that the Constitution should not be messed with and that any change should go through incredible steps/hurdles/courts and possibly an International Court on Ethics (E perhaps you could be its President)

Lock was an empiricist and new the importance of experience as the basis of knowledge - self discipline is the way to freedom as law is to society.

If only we practiced what we preach. There are movements towards this practice but alas it’s only sporadic and usually by Liberals.

Yes, Sir, you are correct...

PLEASE bring back our Founding Fathers and Justice Potter Stewart. I cried when King George stole the throne (there you are, I admitted it) - I said we would have war in a year and that this will be the worst disaster ever to befall American - and what amazes me is that the people, sorry, sheeple, still don't get it.

Unfortunately due process of law is in the hands of King George and his cohorts, the Supreme Court. KS when you find it let me know - there's a little place called Vilcabumba which looks interesting. Plutocracy already exists in America and will implode as the gap widens between the "haves" and "have-nots’". After Polio that should be Rotary's next mission.

If only it were true... He didn't take into account subprime Anyway, the thought is good...

This government can commit the most hideous crimes and yet there seems no one or system that can prevents this travesty - the present leadershisp should all be in prison - lies, lies and more lies.

Excellent Mike - it's today we are dealing with.... how the hell can law enforcers be show to have such unswerving integrity, unless we ride in their police cars and sit beside the big wigs when they make their decisions. And as for being churlish - it should have read 'only the most churlish among us would not question the methods they use...

Marx said it was the road to Socialism and Lenin said that Democracy was indispensable to Socialism - the intent is honorable but Seymour is right, if we are to be ruled by the people (the definition of the word) then Democracy must take into account the rights of the minorities - as a Democracy is a system where the majority rules and that majority can either be greedy and down right evil or philanthropic and compassionate - the same applies to a Republic that represents the people. Unfortunitly both systems have merit but are abused by their administrators – our present administration is an example of indolance, corruption and abuse of power.

…and the war is getting closer, unless we radically change our attitude, behavior, and philosophy then war is inevitable. I hear people discuss capitalism as if it were being attacked by the anti-capitalists – well, all I can say is that the Capitalists are definitely winning the battle. Please, please, don’t tell me that the disparity between the rich and the poor is the fault of the anti-capitalists and that if there were no checks and balances against capitalistic greed that it would benefit the poor. That’s If America is not careful we will change mobocracy of the capitalists to mobocracy of the poor and they will not need the capitalists to survive. We decide to divert valuable funds $30B to the Middle East to prop up support US ally’s and sell $20B in arms to Saudi while we cut the measly budget that provides children with healthcare coverage.

Unfortunately the governors are not being governed.

The presidential veto seems to do away with that being exercised.

Unfortunately those friends who hold high places and are shielded from the law and from the media only allow pieces of information out for public view. It is indeed the apathy of those who sit idly by in the comfort of their mansions that allow their so called "friends" to "get away with murder" - that is the tragedy more so than the friends. A patriot is someone who questions authority, questions the deeds of his peers, questions to decisions of the counsel and not someone or nation that goes blindly into the mire.

The constitution was written by men who had experienced the ravages of war, who had knowledge of the corruption of power and who realized that charity is the road to peace – it was an incredible attempt to provide a nation with a Liberal heart.

Excellent Mike - you see, we do agree on many topics. It's nothing new, it goes back to the Ancients (well, not all). I just pray we don’t go back to the 6th century when darkness spread across the West. May we please have a government as JM articulates, or, is that a dream never again to be realized?

And so is 70% of Americans - he is now giving billions to Saudi - they have never joined in the fray this is obviously the action of a despot. What right does King George, or any President, have to veto the vote of the Senate? We have our politics so messed up no one knows what we are - and then they blame it on Democracy. We don’t have a democracy and never have. The party in power can win every time (elective despotism) until it gets to 30/70.

Lord Acton would agree...

The quote I believe to be true - bring the Bobbies back on the streets and provide them with a vegetarian diet. So, what do you call it when people are killed or maliciously harmed because they are hated? do you change the name of the crime just to protect the masses, just to protect intolerance, just to protect those who are hateful and influence violence against those they hate - OK what do you want to call it? It is what it is. These crimes against each other are wrong and evil - but when conducted against another country we call it WAR.

Our Intellegence and response wase not coordinated and the resources were totally misplaced to effectively respond to 9-11

Selection has and will always be the vehicle of the unknowing....

Unless of course you are King Gorge - so when are we going back to having a Republic?

American culture does not exist, unless of course you are referring to fast food, guns, fundamentalism, and Red-necks, barbeque, days on the couch with Bud and the tube, the worst divorce rate in the world, the abuse of over a million children a year, the abuse of women, a corrupt supreme court, a government that can be bought, a press that has forgotten the meaning of its occupation, and last but by no means least, over 60 million people without health insurance – yes, there are a lot of good people in American but unfortunately many of them are leaving – its muscle in the world is force by weaponry and not intellect. Yes, we had a culture to be proud of but alas it was smothered by greed - the most superior culture in the world, that must be a joke...

Well said Reston and Fort Worth - indeed, you are correct. There is always another way - it seems for some the matter is black and white like it was when they invaded the lands of the Indians. Happy 4th I always wondered what makes a real American - thanks for the education. By the way, I agree, Mises is an outstanding thinker but this one he has wrong.

I couldn't disagree more, philosophy is the heart of any great society -- simply it means a love of knowledge/wisdom, or as Daigu as stated "an affinity for judging rightly" Human's twist and squirm the meaning into their own agenda - let it be for what Is. Through philosophy western civilization was born, from Aquinas to Wittgenstein the need to question and debate was and still is the foundation of all great thinkers. It tries to discover truth and the value of things -- it is without doubt the instrument for freedom. As Russell said "Some people would rather die than think." There are many schools of philosophy of which many have different views of life and the nature of things. Some of the greatest philosophers never wrote a word. Thinking and arguing the nature of things is such a privilege and to be able to debate in an open forum without personal remarks is a joy. Philosophy is part of our daily life, it affects all we do; and to be tolerant of each others opinion and debate freely is what makes us move forward.