I know of no government schools. I attend a public school. The kids and me did not march to a uniform beat, we did not wear a uniform, some were of one religious upbringing and some of another, A government school I guess would be one run by some narrow coterie of intelligensia without oversight. Public schools are run by the population at large with no particular point of view. As usual Mike you have everthing ass backwards. Your home schoolers and church schools, putting kids into uniforms and teaching them only what you want them to know is the biggest evil going.

Mike we all have a right to care and know about what are children are taught even though most of us are not qualified. We do however elect and support school boards, go to meetings etc. Most parents have jobs that don't enable them to pursue the complex job of teaching their kids, maybe that is why we have schools, ever think of that. When every one is "indoctrinating" your child he/she is getting a balanced education and will grow up to think for themselves. Your child obviously is going to me a Mike from Norwalk automaton and that is what we all are afraid of. Mike can you declare WAR on an other nation. Your Representative can vote on such a measure even if you don't agree. Now Congress and the President can do that even if the entire population does not agree. We can then vote them out at the next election. What the f$%^ is your problem about always saying your representative cannot do anything that you cannot do?

Yes Mike he can also represent me, Robert and A from Reston. Now if he does that fairly it appear that your views, opinions and will are nullified. On the other hand a representative is suppose to also you his own mind and make his own decisons without regard to you or me. We can then recall or vote him out. Do you ever allow YOUR child to be corrected or taught anything by another adult?

Mr. Madison if they are not needed then why do you thinbk they exist. How about pure drinking water. Can you get into that?

Survey, how many of you above went to public school?. Do you think for yourselves? If you are able to do so why don't you think others are able to do so? If what these guys say is true why do we have such a political divide in this country? A captain of industry spoke on Wednesday at the Debt Commission hearing. He said in his travels he finds most other nations able to collectively identify and harness the political will to solve their problems, and he is shocked and saddened at the way political leaders in the US talk to each other and to the public. Where is this uniformity Ebeling is talking about? I think we need a lot more of it especially around the idea of honesty.

Yeah, yeah, yeah and Socrates was programming the kids back when and he had to drink the hemlock and die. I guess you guys want to hang all the teachers also. The above four are the least thinking among us so what does that say about their opinons on such an august subject as education.

I am glad I live in a country where most people can read and write. I doubt it would be so without compulsory education laws. If We The People are going to require it then We The People should provide a means to accomplish our will. And lo and behold We do, life in these united states is wonderful is it not. Mencken is a misanthrope. Furthermore any class room or group learning situation is going to create a degree of standarization. After all what are tests and standards for.

Okay but if this is so why do so many want to receive an inheritance. Is not getting money from your parents, grandparents or grand uncle the worst form of dependency. Receiving a benefit from their death of funds for which you did nothing at all except maybe kiss their behinds. Why do not people who hate "welfare" for poor people seem to support welfare for rich people. The hypocrisy makes it hard to breathe sometimes.

The quy was a science fiction writer. How intelligent is that and doesn't that make him suspect.

All people who were within the confines and restictions of organizations are to some extent pygmies. Tomes have been written about "organization men". So what is new. If bureaucrats did their own thing and did not follow the rules and regulations then you bitch about that. Bureaus were estblished for exactly that purpose; prevent the abuses of political appointess.

Lee means "Of, by and for him". He will ever refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of a freely elected government.

Lee obviously has his head in the sand, has no knowledge of the rising stock market, the extensive cash position of American business etcetera. Some guys decided to be miserable when Obama got elected and probably will remain miserable for another 6 years, all while many of us will be making a killing in rising economy.

I think this quote is exactly right. It expresses no opinon just states the facts. I give it a five for correctness of stating facts.

It is debatable as to whether civilizations ever really decline they just morph into something new or different. To believe in static civilizations that disappear and new static civilizations arise spontaneously by the writing of a static constitution for example is a false reading and understanding of history. Of course human institutions change. The Mayan's did not disappear for example they just returned to the countryside form which they had come.

The history of the human experience is that of a shrinking planet. Wake up y'all, it will continue. Communication and transportation are no longer a problem. People travel to Hong Kong from New York as easily or easier than they travel from New York to Missoula, Montana etc. Again I say wake up!

True and that is why legislation is needed to protect against things like child labor, explotation of women, immigrants etcetera. The nation has always been full of people who will take every bit of dignity and humanity from others for their own personal enrichment, from slave holders, indentured servants etc. Not to mention the rape and degradation of the environment for personal gain.

BS. This guy probably never heard of the right to Amend the Constitution either.

The quote sucks and drips with prejudicial adjectives like, sober, industrious but ill informed people versus the apparently drunk, enterprising, influential people speculators. Brings up a point though and that is that all people should be involved, vote and act locally and think globally. Is that not what we are always preaching here attentiveness. Beware the non-participating members of society like Madison describes here.

Mike the so called Patriot Act enabled the Treasurey Dept through its FICEN Bureau (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) to track, locate, empound etcetera funds collected here and shipped to the Al Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan. Al Qaeda was and is a government and movement operated in a foreign country using funds collected here. Tools to stop our own citizens and residents from trading with the enemy for the purpose of our destruction are always good.

My statist objective is to stop the pigs among us from destroying the planet by trashing the environment, blowing the tops off of mountains, polluting my rivers etcetera. If I must use "The State" to do it, so be it. It shall and must be done. (Connor you are talking about the wrong Lee.) The state has only come into existence out of necessity. If folk would govern themselves we would not need the state, and it would pass away. Unfortunately I do not see that happening any time soon.

Taken to its absurd and logical conclusion a complete elimination of income tax would make both the country and the governement prosperous. Well the Prez failed to mention a little thing call the "law of diminishing returns". Or the point of "no return". Clinton had the situation well in hand when he left office. The economy was great and the budget was in surplus. The Bushes as usaul destroyed that.

Glad to see at least one thinking person comment on this. Thanks Warren. I personally think Ron and Rand need some help. In time of war most folk know that "loose lips sink ships" etcetera. All that the Patriot Act tried to do was track terrorist money. If Congress had not given the law such a name it may have been a little more inocuous. The name obviously has brought and continues to bring the rabble out of the wood work.

This site proves daily that thinking has disappeared from the planet. Archer spews his garbage and I meet people every day that have immigrared here for a more free life style. Makes one really ponder does it not.

You are correct Carol but do you know or care that most of the bailout money is being repaid plus. GM is ready to issue stock etcetera. The US economy is doing great if only the corporations that are rolling in currency would spend it for a little more hiring effort. Those who are against the current Admin will never admit that the country is doing better.

Publius the side of the Constitution that I am on and you are against (and thus you make yourself an enemy of me and every true Constitutionaly believer) is the side that says We The People can amend the foundational document. It has been amended and may be amended again. You are an ENEMY if you claim in effect that the Constitution is unconstitutional. The thing was amended to enable direct taxation. It was once was amended for prohibition and then repealed. If you wish to amend and repeal direct taxation, go for it. Until then quit lying and saying that direct taxation or Income Tax is or was unconstitutional. You da one that needs to read and study.