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Category Archives: First Principles
First Principles: I Hate Deception, Even Where the Imagination Only Is Concerned
“I hate deception, even where the imagination only is concerned.” – George Washington (1779)
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Tagged Concern, Deception, Even, First Principles, George Washington, Hate, Imagination, Where
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First Principles: In A Public Life, A Man Whose Political Principles Have Any Decided Character and…Energy…To Give Them Effect Must Expect Political Hostility
“I suppose, indeed, that in public life, a man whose political principles have any decided character and who has energy enough to give them effect must always expect to encounter political hostility from those of adverse principles.” – Thomas Jefferson … Continue reading
First Principles: Where There Is No Law, There Is No Liberty
“Where there is no law, there is no liberty; and nothing deserves the name of law but that which is certain and universal in its operation upon all the members of the community.” – Benjamin Rush (1788)
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Tagged All the Members, Benjamin Rush, Certain, Community, First Principles, No Law, No Liberty, Operation, The Name of Law, Universal, Where
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First Principles: Nothing Is More Certain Than That A General Profligacy and Corruption of Manners Make A People Ripe For Destruction
“Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the … Continue reading
First Principles: The Only Foundation of A Free Constitution Is Pure Virtue
“The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a greater Measure than they have it now, they may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they … Continue reading
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Tagged Change, Constitution, First Principles, Forms of Government, Foundation, Free, Inspire, John Adams, Lasting, Liberty, Measure, Pure, Rulers, The People, Virtue, Will Not Obtain
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First Principles: The Principle of Spending Money To Be Paid By Posterity, Under the Name of Funding, Is But Swindling Futurity On A Large Scale
“The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” – Thomas Jefferson (1816) When we take money from others without good return, we are swindling them. … Continue reading
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Tagged First Principles, Funding, Futurity, Large Scale, Money, Paid, Posterity, Principle, Spending, Swindle, Thomas Jefferson, Under the Name
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First Principles: We Base All Our Experiments On the Capacity of Mankind For Self-Government
“We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government.” – James Madison
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Tagged Base, Capacity, Experiments, First Principles, James Madison, Mankind, Self Government, The Federalist Papers
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First Principles: I Tremble For My Country When I Reflect That God Is Just (and) That His Justice Cannot Sleep Forever
“Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever…. The Almighty has no attribute which can take side with us in such a contest.” – Thomas Jefferson, in Notes … Continue reading
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Tagged Cannot Sleep, Contest, Country, First Principles, Forever, God, His Justice, Just, No Attribute, Notes On the State of Virginia, Reflect, Takes Side, Thomas Jefferson, Tremble
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First Principles: It Is of Great Importance To Set A Resolution, Not To Be Shaken, Never To Tell An Untruth
“It is of great importance to set a resolution, not to be shaken, never to tell an untruth. There is no vice so mean, so pitiful, so contemptible; and he who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it … Continue reading
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Tagged All Good Disposition, Depraves, Falsehood, First Principles, Great Importance, Heart, In Time, Not Shaken, Resolution, Tell, Thomas Jefferson, Tongue, Untruth
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First Principles: If General Rules Are To Be Maintained At All, It Is Obvious That They Must Be Applied Equally To Every Case Which Satisfies Their Terms
“The only shape in which equality is really connected with justice is this — justice presupposes general rules. If these general rules are to be maintained at all, it is obvious that they must be applied equally to every case … Continue reading
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Tagged Applied Equally, Connect, Equality, Every Case, First Prinicples, General Rules, James Fitzjames Stephens, Justice, Maintain, Obvious, Presuppose, Satisfies, Shape, Terms
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ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 