Category Archives: First Principles

First Principles: Dependence Begets Subservience

Posted on October 29, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.” – Thomas Jefferson (1781) The entitlement programs of America have come to be taken for granted. And now, as we watch … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Ambition, Dependence, First Principles, Subservience, Thomas Jefferson, Tools, Venality, Virtue | Leave a comment

First Principles: Countries Like People Should Keep Their Word In All Agreements

Posted on October 28, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“States, like individuals, who observe their engagements, are respected and trusted: while the reverse is the fate of those who pursue an opposite conduct.” —Alexander Hamilton (1790), In Report On Public Credit The Report On Public Credit may be read here: http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a1_8_2s5.html … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Countries, First Principles, Governance, Integrity, Public Credit, Report On Public Credit, States, Trustworthy | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Ruin of Many Nations Comes Through Unjust Favoritism

Posted on October 27, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“History affords us many instances of the ruin of states, by the prosecution of measures ill suited to the temper and genius of their people. The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles, Uncategorized | Tagged Benjamin Franklin, Equality, Factions, Fairness, First Principles, History, Impartial, Oppression, Partiality, Ruin, United States, Unity | Leave a comment

First Principles: Government Branches Should Be Balanced To Protect Our Security

Posted on October 26, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“The true principle of government is this – make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect proportion and balance to its parts; and the powers you give it will never affect your security.” — Alexander Hamilton, Remarks in … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Balances, Checks, Constitution, First Principles, Governance, Government, Power, Securrity | Leave a comment

First Principles: Moral Relativism Is A Quagmire of Moral Confusion

Posted on October 25, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply than to the sense of this difference?” –John … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles, Uncategorized | Tagged Ethics, First Principles, John Adams, Moral Relativism, Morality, Sophistry, Truth | Leave a comment

First Principles: Our Liberties Are Secured As A Gift From God, Not Government

Posted on October 24, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“God who gave us life gave us Liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Conviction, First Principles, God Given, Government, Justice, Liberty, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: All Governments Eventually Go Back To Their First Principles

Posted on October 23, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“There is not in the whole science of politics a more solid or a more important maxim than this — that of all governments, those are the best, which, by the natural effect of their constitutions, are frequently renewed or … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Government, James Wilson, Lectures On Law, Maxim, Political Science, Renewed, Theory | Leave a comment

First Principles: Morality Rests In the Family

Posted on October 22, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“The foundation of national morality must be laid in private families.” —John Adams (1778)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Family, First Principles, Foundation, John Adams, Morality, National, Private | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Judiciary Is Not Meant To Override the Other Branches

Posted on October 21, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“[T]he opinion which gives to the judges the right to decide what laws are constitutional and what not, not only for themselves, in their own sphere of action, but for the Legislature and Executive also in their spheres, would make … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Co-Equal Branch, Courts, Decision, Despotic, Executive, First Principles, Legislature, Role of the Judiciary, Rule of Law, Thomas Jefferson, Tryanny | Leave a comment

First Principles: Love of Power Is Natural and Often Abused

Posted on October 20, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“A fondness for power is implanted, in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired.” – Alexander Hamilton (1775) I hasten to add that therein is the reason we have so carefully guarded against this human proclivity … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Abuse, Alexander Hamilton, Checks and Balances, First Principles, Fondness, Human Nature, Power | Leave a comment