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Category Archives: First Principles
First Principles: It Is Not An Easy Task To Be President
“The second office of this government is honorable and easy, the first is but a splendid misery.” —Thomas Jefferson (1797) It is easier to be a critic and a naysayer than it is to govern. It’s harder still when you … Continue reading
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Tagged Criticism, First Principles, Government, Impeachment, Opposition, Presidency, Thomas Jefferson
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First Principles: Our Ways and Means Should Balance Our Promises
“There is not a more important and fundamental principle in legislation, than that the ways and means ought always to face the public engagements; that our appropriations should ever go hand in hand with our promises.” —James Madison in a … Continue reading
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Tagged Balance, First Principles, James Madison, Legislation, Obligations, Public Debt, Public Works, Ways and Means
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First Principles: Peace Requires Strength and The Willingness To Use It
“These people are either too superstitiously religious, or too cowardly for arms; they either can not or dare not defend ; their property is open to anyone who has the courage to attack them… The supposed quietude of a good man … Continue reading
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Tagged 2nd Amendment, Arms, Defense, First Principles, History, Peace, Strength, Thomas Paine
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First Principles: Know the Difference Between Opinions and Facts
“Nothing is so contagious as opinion, especially on questions which, being susceptible of very different glosses, beget in the mind a distrust of itself.” — James Madison (1790)
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Tagged Contagious, Facts, First Principles, Gossip, James Madison, Opinionated, Opinions
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First Principles: The Constitution Is Not Written On Blank Pages
“Our peculiar security is in the possession of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction.” –Thomas Jefferson, letter to Wilson Nicholas, 1803 Every word in the Constitution either means something of particular intent or … Continue reading
First Principles: Neither the Constitution Nor Law Protects A Corrupt People
“[N]either the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.” –Samuel Adams (1749) How about that, the Founders called out the conditions of today more than we might … Continue reading
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Tagged Constitution, Corruption, First Principles, Laws, Samuel Adams, Wisdom, Wise
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First Principles: Value Our Veterans
“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” – George … Continue reading
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Tagged Duty, First Principles, George Washington, Imperative, Justice, Service, Treament, Veterans, Veterans Day
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First Principles: The Right To Bear Arms Is Essential In the Preservation of Liberty
“Whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into … Continue reading
First Principles: Freedom Does Not Come For Free
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.” — Thomas Paine (1777) As Veteran’s Day approaches in this season of thankfulness and blessings, I think on the above… a lot. … Continue reading
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Tagged Blessings, Citizens, Dedication, Earn, Freedom, Patriotism, Service, Thomas Paine
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First Principles: For A Government To Be Respected, It Must Be Respectable
“No government, any more than an individual, will long be respected without being truly respectable.” — James Madison, in Federalist 62
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Tagged Federalist Paper No. 62, First Principles, Government, Individual, James Madison, Respectable, Respected
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ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 