“The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. ... These measures never fail to create great and violent jealousies and animosities between the people favored and the people oppressed...”

Natural law, not recognizing one party or entity over another, does not produce or recognize prejudice or oppressions of individuals (or groups) one, over the other. Each and every, any and all are equal before the law.

Then there's Citizens United; The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another.

anonymous, is your thumbs down a veiled ad hominem against Franklin or do you support favoring one part of a nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another?

Federal judges make different rulings in their districts making rules different through out our nation.

anonymous - What a great moniker for you. Because, if I too were in the state of constant stupendous ignorance that you so often deleteriously display then I would also would wish to remain incognito.

This pretty much sums up national government which thrives on agitation and conflict.

Protected classes now include LGBTQ, blacks, illegal immigrants, muslims (not christians), foreign refugees, and the most protected class, government employees (who are paid more than the private sector now).  When empowerment is at the expense of others, it is not empowerment but theft.  'Diversity' means 'conformity',  'equality' means 'uniformity', and 'justice' has become 'subsidy.'  Victimhood has become the rallying cry of the power-elite to win votes from the poor and campaign funds from the powerful.  'White privilege' is the excuse for overt racism against whites — it is a 'black privilege' to call white people racist.