“Happiness is more effectually dispensed to mankind under a republican form of government than any other.”

This is simply because one is almost totally in control of ones life only answerable to the consquences of his ill will interference toward others.

Contrary to what the various Supreme Courts have done to bastardize the General Welfare clause over the decades...the best way to promote the General Welfare is to leave people the hell alone. Stop controlling everything they do and watch innovation and the economy take off like a rocket.

We hold this truth to be self evident

What a load of Codswallop. Today this statement has no VALIDITY; and, even when GW did say it I'm not to sure. Today the Republicans are more like corporate thugs without any compassion except for their fellow greedy fascist friends who are protected by the CIA and the military. Today their is a threefold increase in republican (type) terrorist (patriot) groups.

Mike, really! I would have thought better of you...

RBE, you're making the mistake of comparing the word "Republican" to today's party. Mike is correct, especially when uses a quote in context from the days when we were supposed to be a "Republic".

RBESQR, your ignorance is showing. George was not referring to the Republican political party but was alluding to the fact that the USA ,at that time, was a Republic.

The Republican Party did not appear until Abe Lincoln. Just in case you did not know that rbesrq. Of course the idiotic crap you spew is even more ignorant than your knowledge of history.

warren, i understand they are re-writing history. RBESRQ must have just read one of the updates.

A 'republic' does not automatically have a "republican form of government." The Consitution does not found a republic -- it guarantees a republican form of government -- there is a difference as most Communist countries call themselves republics. Jefferson's party was called the Democratic-Republican Party. A republican form of government is a government of laws as opposed to a monarchy, aristocracy, or democracy where the power rests in men rather than laws that protect the natural born rights of humankind. Socialism, fascism, communism, or other forms of totalitarian control are based on centralizing power to rule the masses - usually for political and monetary gain. As far as democracies go, when the inalienable rights of the People can be voted away, democracy becomes nothing but civil war between the upper and lower classes -- classes, in fact, that are created and maintained by the ruling junta. A republican form of government is supposed to respect the rights of the People as paramount, the only true equality.

Republicans are more interested in their happiness (money and industry) than they are of preserving the earth... which, while apparently unapparent to Republicans, is our collective home, the health of which, is imperative to our collective happiness, not just that of the rich.

As for 'republics...' just look to what happened to the Roman empire.

Sorry guys, thanks for correcting me...

Lots of good comments especially and unusually from Mr. Archer. What Washington meant by Republican was explained by Lincoln and that is "government of, by, and for the people". Ipso facto a democratic entity,.

Nice to see that the wandering lost in the wilderness Warren is back on the political-philosophy trail.

We are not a democracy. And we are no longer a republic. We are confused. Perhaps other governments that started out as republics, but then failed, were also confused.

Robert, just for the record. What does the Republican Party or, most republicans have to do with Washington's referenced Republican Form of Government guaranteed at Article IV Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution? The answer, absolutely nothing! ! ! (Archer, said very well) The current similarity in names is a ruse only, a giant hoax to lend some form of legitimacy. Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same tyrannical coin. I know of no Republican Form of Government on the planet today. The statist theocracy that now infests this land is as far from, if not farther from, a Republican Form of Government, than any other government on earth. Is the law of nature or Nature's God upheld or even sought? Is justice, a true compassion, or any semblance of freedom or liberty being expanded? Is the individual sovereign being served by 'his' representatives by eliminating the despots compelled compliance, license, victimless crimes, or larceny with impunity? Is a sustainable order that recognizes the nobility of the individual life even recognized (if not scorned to ridicule)? The answer is an emphatic NO ! ! ! America's representative republic, complete with its governmental limiting Constitution, as defined a Republican Form of Government, exists no more. The Republican Form of Government referenced by George Washington was a government of law (natural law), not a government of men (men being gods to make and enforce empty unlawful rules and statutes as though they were laws) There does appear to be an awakening to a lawful existence as would be defined by George Washington's Republican Form of Government.

Mike read The Constitution some time. It only guarantees a Republican form of government only to the states. No where does it state that it is establishing a Republic or a republican form of government for the nation headquartered in Washington, DC. The form of government that it estableshed in Washington (first New York, Philadelphia) is not defined by any one word (that people can twist any old which way) but is defined by the The Constituion itself. The states however are stateed to be guaranteed to have a Republican form of government which is to be enforced by power of the Constitution which is embodied in the Central or National government. Correct me if I am wrong Mike, correct me if I am wrong. If it were so easy to establish a Republican form of government and everyone like Mike knows exactly what it is then why it do you think it was necessary to have a Constitution. All the founders would have to say is "We hereby establish a Republican form of government for these thirteen states". It is done in one sentence. How simple does one have to be to think that is the way it is done?

Waffler, your above comment is obviously a liberal retort from ignorance. I have read the Constitution, Federalist Papers, and many other supporting documents / commentary (as apparently you have not, or at least don't agree with). What a republic is, has been explained sufficiently that even a socialist of you ilk should understand the difference between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic and the republic that was the individual sovereign's representative republic. I give as one example George Washington's quote above. Your implied assumptions are off topic, and wrong again. The Constitution was to guarantee against such a statist theocracy as now infests this land.

The US Federal Government under and in The Constitution guarantees and requires that each state have a Republican Form of government, (there are no state Kings, dictators or unelected leaders). The Constitution does not state that the Federal Government is or will be a republican form of government. It does state that it will have three branches and details how the offices will be filled, by election etcetera. No where does it say that the Fed will be a Republic.

The Constitution at Article IV Section 4 states: "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government," The comma at the end of that clause distinguishes it from the rest of the sentence, though the rest of the sentence is clearly an extension to the previous. The guarantee is to the States. As per Washington's quote above and, other founder's writings on the subject, the subject clause would be interpreted that both the Federal and State governments were to be representative republics with the individual sovereigns holding all original authority and power. "Governments are the servants, not the masters of the people." (Thomas Jefferson) Waffler, with your desperate need to keep tyranny alive, I understand your splitting hairs. Your interpretation is ok as long as you adhere to the original intent, such as George Washingtons quote above.

Happiness is attained under a balanced, healthy, psychiatric societal social arrangement.

Sillik — bovine droppings; history has proven that to be a lie — over and over and over again. Happiness is attained under an "order" in harmony with nature's law (they are NOT! ! ! the same).