“No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”

Which explains the statist theocracy's deprivation and despotism.

Throw in "sound currency" and you've got what America is supposed to be.

The Obama, Pelosi, and Reed crowd have no "fundamental principles" except to get all the power possible and turn this country into a communist state.

Fruits of the Spirit. Let your moderation be made known to all men. This is possible by frequent study of the rule. That which contains the fundamental principles. Notice blessings of liberty, For we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Be men in understanding. Know , what you believe 2 tim 2:15. Very old secret yet you here so little about it. God grants us understanding to every generation, a seed shall serve him for a generation. This is a time of generational and eventful filling change.

I agree, but how are people to acquire these qualities? Will the nanny-state teach us anything but obedience? Even the Church can barely empower us with honor. It is very easy to say that the people are losing their 'moral' foundations, but where are they supposed to come from in the first place? Government, school, church, family, friends?? I think it is part of the journey of life -- those that get it, wish it for everyone else, but it is an arduous process, not something you can find in a bottle.

The criminal element that runs our world has a sick sense of the characteristics of justice killing our presidents and civil rights personnel, and "moderate marijuana smoking" does not exist. These characteristics Mr Henry mentioned are just not addressed in a rational, reasonable formulas. The mentally ill mind of the conventional populous is based on selfish, biased notions and not on sound principles of civilized order. The mentally healthy bases their beliefs on good, fair, unbaised, sound moral developing formulations.