Tag Archives: Government

First Principles: You Must First Enable the Government To Control the Governed; and In the Next Place, Oblige It To Control Itsel

“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

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First Principles: Governments Do Better Without Kings and Nobles Than With Them

“We are teaching the world the great truth that Governments do better without Kings & Nobles than with them. The merit will be doubled by the other lesson that Religion Flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of … Continue reading

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An Introduction To First Principles

There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily.” —George Washington (1795) In the affirmative: Though the founding principles of the United States were drawn from another era, these principles remain essential to … Continue reading

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First Principles: A Government For the People Must Depend For Its Success On the Intelligence, the Morality, the Justice, and the Interest of the People Themselves

“A government for the people must depend for its success on the intelligence, the morality, the justice, and the interest of the people themselves.” – Grover Cleveland

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Thought For the Day: That Government Is Best Which Governs the Least, Because Its People Discipline Themselves

“That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.” – Henry David Thoreau

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First Principles: The Government, Which Was Designed For the People, Has Got Into the Hands of the Bosses and Their Employer, the Special Interests. An Invisible Empire Has Been Set Up Above the Forms of Democracy

“The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy.” – Woodrow Wilson

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Thought For the Day: Government Should Be A Referee, Not An Active Player

“Government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforce contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property. When government– in pursuit of good intentions tries to … Continue reading

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First Principles: Government Has No Right To Control Individual Liberty Beyond What Is Necessary To the Safety and Well-Being of Society

“Government has no right to control individual liberty beyond what is necessary to the safety and well-being of society. Such is the boundary which separates the power of the government and the liberty of the citizen or subject in the … Continue reading

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First Principles: The Deterioration of Every Government Begins With the Decay of the Principles On Which It Was Founded

“The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.” – Baron de Montesquieu

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First Principles: I Think We Have More Machinery of Government Than Is Necessary, Too Many Parasites Living On the Labor of the Industrious

“I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.” – Thomas Jefferson (1824)

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