Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: All Laws Must Have The Right of Reciprocation

Posted on April 26, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“We lay it down as a fundamental, that laws, to be just, must give a reciprocation of right; that, without this, they are mere arbitrary rules of conduct, founded in force, and not in conscience.” – Thomas Jefferson (1782) … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Arbitrary, Conscience, First Principles, Force, Fundamental, Law, Reciprocation of Right, Rules of Conduct, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: Sovereign Power Tends To Be Hostile To Those Seeking Restraint Of Its Operations

Posted on April 25, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“There is in the nature of sovereign power an impatience of control, that disposes those who are invested with the exercise of it, to look with an evil eye upon all external attempts to restrain or direct its operations.” – … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Animus, Control, Direction, Federalist Papers, First Principles, Hostile, Impatience, Nature, Restraint, Sovereign Power | Leave a comment

First Principles: No Government Can Restrain Humanity Set Free By Morality and Religion

Posted on April 24, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.” – John Adams (1798) .. But GQ thinks you should read smutty fiction instead…

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Contention, First Principles, Government, Human Passion, John Adams, Morality, Power, Religion, Republican, The Bible, Unbridled | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Intended Cure For Unsuitable Elected Officials Is To Replace These

Posted on April 23, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men.” – Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 21

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Constitution, Elections, Federalist Papers, First Principles, Popular, Remediation, Representative Government | Leave a comment

First Principles: Human Government Is As Good As It Is Godly And Moral

Posted on April 22, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Human government is more or less perfect as it approaches nearer or diverges farther from the imitation of this perfect plan of divine and moral government.” – John Adams, draft of a Newspaper Communication, 1770

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Divine, First Principles, Human Government, John Adams, Model, Moral, Perfected | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Constitution Forbids the Federal Government From Meddling In the Free Exercise of Faith

Posted on April 21, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises. This results not only from the provision that no law shall be made respecting the establishment or … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Constitution, Faith, Federal Government, First Principles, Free Exercise of Religion, State Government, Thomas Jefferson, United States | Leave a comment

First Principles: A Government Should Be Constituted To Control Its Citizens But Also Itself

Posted on April 20, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.” – … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Governance, Governed, James Madison, Popular Government, Restraint, Self Policing | Leave a comment

First Principles: Law Should Have Just and Corresponding Punishment For Disobedience

Posted on April 19, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“It is essential to the idea of a law, that it be attended with a sanction; or, in other words, a penalty or punishment for disobedience.” – Alexander Hamilton (1787)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Disobedience, Essential, First Principles, Law, Penalty, Punishment, Sanction | Leave a comment

First Principles: May We Ever Endeavor To Be Friends Despite Our Differences

Posted on April 18, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” – Thomas Jefferson (1800)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alienation, Difference, First Principles, Friendship, Inquiry, Opinion, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Thomas Jefferson, Truth | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Direction of War Is A Crucial Element Defining the Executive Authority

Posted on April 17, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Of all the cares or concerns of government, the direction of war most peculiarly demands those qualities which distinguish the exercise of power by a single hand. The direction of war implies the direction of the common strength; and the … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Common Strength, Direction of War, Executive Authority, First Principles, Government, Unitary Power | Leave a comment