Tag Archives: Government

First Principles: A Government Formed On Virtue Leads To the Greatest Happiness

Posted on November 26, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“If there is a form of government, then, whose principle and foundation is virtue, will not every sober man acknowledge it better calculated to promote the general happiness than any other form?” — John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776 Thoughts … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Foundation, General Happiness, Government, John Adams, Liberty, Thoughts On Government, Virtue | Leave a comment

First Principles: Truth Can Stand Alone

Posted on November 25, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.” — Thomas Jefferson, in Notes On Virginia Notes on Virginia may be read online beginning here: Click to access Thomas-Jefferson-Notes-On-The-State-Of-Virginia.pdf This and other works from our … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged First Principles, Government, Independent, Notes on Viriginia, Support, Thomas Jefferson, Truth | Leave a comment

First Principles: Too Much Discretionary Power Is Unwise

Posted on November 21, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“We repose an unwise confidence in any government, or in any men, when we invest them officially with too much, or an unnecessary quantity of, discretionary power.” –Thomas Paine, Serious Address to the People of Philadelphia, 1778 The complete text … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Confidence, Discernment, Discretionary Power, First Principles, Government, Serious Address to the People of Philadelphia, Thomas Paine, Wisdom | Leave a comment

First Principles: Good Behavior Is Necessary For Continuance In Office

Posted on November 18, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“The standard of good behavior for the continuance in office … is certainly one of the most valuable of the modern improvements in the practice of government.” —Alexander Hamilton , in Federalist Paper No. 78 (1788) Perhaps Al Franken and … Continue reading →

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First Principles: It Is Not An Easy Task To Be President

Posted on November 17, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“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 →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Criticism, First Principles, Government, Impeachment, Opposition, Presidency, Thomas Jefferson | Leave a comment

First Principles: For A Government To Be Respected, It Must Be Respectable

Posted on November 7, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“No government, any more than an individual, will long be respected without being truly respectable.” — James Madison, in Federalist 62

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Federalist Paper No. 62, First Principles, Government, Individual, James Madison, Respectable, Respected | Leave a comment

First Principles: Guard Public Liberty Attentively

Posted on November 7, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.” –Patrick Henry, in a speech at the Virginia … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Bill of Rights, Constitution, First Principles, Force, Government, Patrick Henry, Public Liberty, Vigilance | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: Citizens Must Keep Government From Error

Posted on November 4, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.” —Justice Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954) If nothing else this … Continue reading →

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged Accountability, Citizens, Citizenship, Error, Function, Government, Oversight, Responsibility, Robert H Jackson, Thought For the Day, We The People | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Accumulation of Power Into Few Hands Leads To Tyranny

Posted on November 4, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“The accumulation of all powers … in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” —James Madison (1788) in Federalist Paper, No. 47 This … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Accumulation, Corruption, First Principles, Government, James Madison, Powers, The Federalist Papers, Tyranny | Leave a comment

First Principles: An Energetic Executive Branch Is Good for the Country

Posted on November 2, 2017 by alohapromisesforever

“Energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks; it is not less essential to the steady administration of the laws; to the … Continue reading →

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Administration, Alexander Hamilton, Executive Branch, Federalist Papers, First Principles, Government, Protection, Security | Leave a comment