Great quote and easily seen as is applied to today. Mike, I agree completely - I do think the word is inalienable, no? Just a thought.

Jim, surely you know at least one individual. He is here among us most every day in the name of Waffler. 5 and more for the quote ... Well said Archer.

Good point, Mike, and a great come-back. Nothing like a good laugh now and then.

Yep. The fact that Obama having Ayers as mentor didn’t mean a thing to those who simply wanted HOPE & CHANGE. There were many other troubling issues but none held as much sway as the promise of HOPE & CHANGE. Says much for America’s "dumbing down". If he were to have come along just a mere few years previously, he’d not have had nearly the chance. Seems many of those HOPEY / CHANGEY folks are changing their thoughts. Maybe they’ll pay better attention the next time around. As for the quote, it’s no surprise that Billy wrote it. I’m sure Ayers’ thoughts and Obama’s run similarly on this and much, much more. Much more than will be publicized for some time to come.

Wonderful quote. Tocqueville certainly had one of the better minds of his day. Nice rejoinder, Nick. Short and very much to the point.

Again, Waffler, you make a point of saying the IRS doesn’t charge us for the benefit of providing us the service of checking our figures after they take our money. Wow. This can only make sense for an individual that works for the IRS - and I've yet to hear even them say such a thing. I can't believe this conversation ... I give up.

The quote speaks for itself and its truth is evidenced in the society we live in today. Now Waffler, on the other hand, is trying to tell us the IRS is not only providing us a service, but we should be happy as this "service" they're providing is actually not costing us anything! His Wafflelogic keeps topping itself. I don't even know how to reply to his thinking ... I'm utterly speechless.

Good God, Waffler. Get a grip on your ability to spell and analyze. I think you meant “shame” in both cases. PS - You don't happen to work for the IRS do you? Mike, you have a good point regarding an enclosed room however, in 1932, there might have been a few people in Congress, to whom he was speaking, that might have known what was going on.

5 Stars for the comment realizing it comes from an unlikely source.

Nice rejoinder to Waffler's Waffledribble, Justin.

Anon, I think it was Patton that said, "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his." ... Tullis was speaking the truth in 100 BC as he would be today although I like both Patton's and J Carlton's somewhat better - I'd rather be around after the fight to enjoy the fruits.

My error. I meant to say interpret not interrupt. All else applies.

Geez Waffler, your inability to interrupt amazes me. Sorry to say, your lack of understanding here explains your lack of understanding elsewhere – the preceding two quotes are exceptional examples of just this.

Waffler, you did it again ... "JC and JK you have at least made the admission or confession that you are not free and that is a start to becoming an AWARE and open minded person." Firstly, they made no such admission ... secondly, how on earth do you equate being "not free" with becoming an "AWARE and open minded person." This quote is almost as good as another of yours from the ninth of this month regarding Cockrum vs State when you posted “The only obvious solution is that we are not to defend self from or against state but to submit.” You never fail to puzzle me by your "Waffled logic" and "Waffled conclusions." Poor, poor soul. How can you ever explain your convoluted thinking? Five stars for the quote and five stars for Waffler's entertainment value.

Five stars for the quote. Well, Waffler finally said what he really feels in a few easily understood words ... :"The only obvious solution is that we are not to defend self from or against state but to submit." ... I'll now understand all he says from this point forward by remembering this one quote of his. Poor, poor misguided soul. I doubt you comprehend the ramifications of your beliefs.

Waffler, will you never learn. It's the message ... can't you concentrate on anything? Poor man, you're so deluded, everything is as clear as mud to you.

Concise. Says it all wonderfully.

forgot my moniker ...

Well, well, well. Now, if there is still anyone left that doesn't believe that we're all living on a debt that has never been and was never meant to be paid, here's the confession. And all the talk of balancing the budget over and over again ... I give it credit for its honesty, however unintentional it may have been, as it surely wasn't addressed to the masses for their edification.

"... only outlaws will have privacy!" Lets hope a day doesn't come to pass where the powers that be will make forums such as these outlawed causing the free exchange of ideas only possible through cryptographic means. Of course, it would be a contradiction in terms to have a public forum such as this be made a private concern. The way things are going, however, the first amendment is becoming something of the past and most seem to little know it. A good deal of what passes for the media and information distribution today is disseminated by big money idealogues and governmental influence with agendas other than the truth.

What Obama is doing will make pale what both FDR and LBJ did in more ways than simply monetary. Somehow the people not only haven't learned, they've become more ignorant and gullible over time and will soon rue the day if their way goes uncorrected.

Well said. Puts us all on the same plane - right where we actually are. No "superiors", just ordinary people - some seemingly with positions that cause them to think they're of a superior set and thus they act as if they know what's best for all.

Waffler, I think your problem, at least one of them in this case, is that you're seeing it as, "Freedom FROM conscience" rather than what it actually says, "Freedom OF conscience." This may help but, somehow, something tells me otherwise.

This is absolutely true. Unfortunately, people today believe the founding fathers brought a democracy to this new nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was originally created as a Constitutional Republic with a constitution made to restrict what the government could do and empower the States and the People – not the other way around. This was such an important idea that it was not only implicit in the body of the work itself but brought forth, once again, in the form of the Tenth Amendment. The fathers of yesterday wouldn't recognize this country at all.

Talk about "emergency." That's the same tactic the government used when dealing with the monetary crisis we're supposed to be in now. Wasn't too long ago the elected officials in Washiongton didn't even read the bill that passed in Congress regarding all the trillions of dollars necessary to "save" the economy. There wasn't enough time! The emergency was too great! We were only days from total breakdown! How soon these details are forgotten by the public. Statistically, its been found that peolpe have but a six week memory for things political. Be aware, the next emergency is being formulated as we write. As an aside, it's sometimes unusual where good quotes can be found.