“The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust.”

By personal observation, the more immoral an individual, the less trust worthy they are in all endeavors of life. The huge amount of scandal that is occurring goes to demonstrate but one of the reasons America is losing its freedoms. If we forget history we are doomed to relive it.

Explicit statement by a founding father that those who rule should pursue "the common good of the society", not some static statement in the past of what is the good, but a statement that is alive today for today's needs. Now we must simply impeach those who are harming us. Down with King George W and his jesters!

Excellent Mike - you see, we do agree on many topics. It's nothing new, it goes back to the Ancients (well, not all). I just pray we don’t go back to the 6th century when darkness spread across the West. May we please have a government as JM articulates, or, is that a dream never again to be realized?

We mustn't let our corrupt rulers remove the safeguards to prevent their abuse of power. It is high time we started electing virtuous and wise people to office -- not war mongers and philanderers. Let's elect physicians, poets, philosophers, farmers, and people with compassion and integrity. Forget about lawyers and politicians -- they produce nothing and live parasitically off of the rest of us. I like Ron Paul.

14 years later we know how true Mike's words were as our current administration works diligently to destroy the USA and build an army within her non-existent borders...we repeat the fall of Rome in the USA facilitated by those who live among us and serve themselves in high places.