Tag Archives: Government

First Principles: The Role of the Elected Is to Serve the People

Posted on February 4, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“We are not to consider ourselves, while here, as at church or school, to listen to the harangues of speculative piety; we are here to talk of the political interests committed to our charge.” – Fisher Ames (1789) … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles, Uncategorized | Tagged Duty, Elected, First Principles, Fisher Ames, Govenance, Government, Self Righteousness, Service | Leave a comment

First Principles: A Certain Amount of Resisting Government Should Be Kept Alive

Posted on February 1, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive.” – Thomas Jefferson (1787)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Duty, First Principles, Government, Injustice, Justice, Resistance, Thomas Jefferson, Valuable | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: Indifference Allows Rule By Evil Men

Posted on January 26, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs, is to be ruled by evil men.” – Plato (429-347 BC)

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged Evil, Government, Indifference, Penalty, Plato, Public Affairs, Rule, Thought For the Day | Leave a comment

First Principles: Aim Toward Your Honest Duty In Governance

Posted on January 23, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“It behooves you, therefore, to think and act for yourself and your people. The great principles of right and wrong are legible to every reader; to pursue them requires not the aid of many counselors. The whole art of government … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Credit, Diligence, Discredit, Duty, First Principles, Governance, Government, Honesty, Honor, Morality, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: Liberty Is the Hardest Test

Posted on January 22, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Liberty is the hardest test that one can inflict on a people. To know how to be free is not given equally to all men and all nations.” – Paul Valéry (1871-1945) A nice poem of his: http://www.thedrunkenboat.com/valery.html … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged Freedom, Government, Inclinations, Liberty, Paul Valery, Test, Thought For the Day | Leave a comment

First Principles: Our Government Is For the Common Good of Its Citizens and Not Just one Class or Group

Posted on January 22, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Common Good, First Principles, Government, John Adams, Private Interests, Reformation, The People | Leave a comment

First Principles: A Nation Should Use the Same Prudence In Finances As An Individual Would Use

Posted on January 12, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of the public moneys.” —Thomas Jefferson (1808)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Expenditures, Finance, First Principles, Government, Personal, Private, Projects, Prudence, Public, Thomas Jefferson | 1 Comment

First Principles: Right Reason and Natural Law Lead to Perfect Freedom

Posted on January 9, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“The most perfect freedom consists in obeying the dictates of right reason, and submitting to natural law. When a man goes beyond or contrary to the law of nature and reason, he becomes the slave of base passions and vile … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Base Passions, Disorder, First Principles, Freedom, Government, Natural Law, Right Reason, Samuel West | Leave a comment

First Principles: Experiments In Government Should Be Based On Honesty

Posted on January 6, 2018 by alohapromisesforever

“This I hope will be the age of experiments in government, and that their basis will be founded in principles of honesty, not of mere force.” — Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, 1796 What it should never be besides … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Force, Government, Honestly, John Adams, Political Theory, Reformation, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: Private Morality Must Precede Public

Posted on December 31, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“If individuals be not influenced by moral principles; it is in vain to look for public virtue; it is, therefore, the duty of legislators to enforce, both by precept and example, the utility, as well as the necessity of a … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Adherence, Distritubtive Justice, First Principles, Government, Individuals, James Madison, Moral Principles, Public Virtue | Leave a comment