“Liberty is the luxury of self-discipline, that those nations historically who have failed to discipline themselves have had discipline imposed by others.”

Imperialism has historically proven deadly to many states.

It will take an outsider to force us to balance our budget and pay off our debt as it is in Greece now.

Cal, I saw a video yesterday that said if we tax the Federal Reserve 0.06% we could pay off our debts. That was interesting since it does seem that the Fed should pay tax on the interest it gets for air, or I mean for paper that they print the obligatory notes on. Why don't they pay tax on this interest that is passed on to the public? We who let these organizations, this is a commercial organization, get away with this kind of theft get what we deserve. We must get this changed. Now.

It costs the Fed about 3 cents to have a 100 dollar bill printed and then they charge interest on that bill. They are called Federal Reserve Notes and you pay interest on notes. What a racket, you print money at little cost and then make interest on it.

In this case, our fascist state. Far-right neoconservatives and fundamentalists will head the charge. I would say that Liberty is the product of self-discipline.

RBESRQ, my compliments. "I would say that Liberty is the product of self-discipline." Well said. As to the fascist state, I believe that every one that has yet existed grew from a socialist party.

Should ISIS triumph in imposing its brand of tyranny upon the liberal and libertarian western world, this quote will prove itself to be most prophetic.

So true. Liberty starts with the individual who must make his/her way in the world. There are real dangers as well as real blessings. Every animal in the world works to survive -- none can afford to do otherwise. In the 'civilized' world, animals are corralled, bred and domesticated. Within the human species some live like schools of fish and others like sharks -- there are 'leader' types and 'follower' types within every species. Keeping collective power in check has always been the challenge of a people wishing to live free.

Absent Virtue Illumined Reason, license is liberty and Liberty is license.

Liberty is: The power of acting as one thinks fit, without any restraint or control, except from the laws of nature. (Bouviers Law Dictionary) Liberty is the exemption from extraneous control. The power of the will, in its moral freedom, to follow the dictates of its unrestricted choice, and to direct the external acts of the individual without restraint, coercion, or control from other persons. Liberty is the right which nature gives to all mankind of disposing of their persons and property after the manner they judge most consistent with their happiness, on condition of their acting within the limits of the law of nature, and so as not to interfere with an equal exercise of the same rights by other men. (Blacks Law Dictionary 1st ed.). Clarifying original fact, natural law intent, and de jure jurisprudence: Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law,' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual. (Thomas Jefferson) Personal liberty, or the Right to enjoyment of life and liberty, is one of the fundamental or natural Rights, which has been protected by its inclusion as a guarantee in the various constitutions, which is not derived from, or dependent on, the U.S. Constitution, which may not be submitted to a vote and may not depend on the outcome of an election. It is one of the most sacred and valuable Rights, as sacred as the Right to private property ⋯ and is regarded as inalienable. (16 C.J.S., Constitutional Law, Sect.202, p.987).

By no definition is liberty a luxury. An element of liberty fulfillment or enjoyment is a personal responsibility to act within the confines of natural law. Can it be said that the colonists (of that which became States united) failed to discipline themselves as to the why of the king's harsh and despotic infringements; or, did acting in liberty by a few throw off the foreign discipline of tyrants.

By measure of current affairs, the here quote does describe the major impact the occupying statist theocracy infesting this land is having on a once free people and, the why of it.