We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
"The government is merely a servant - merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them..."
I disagree in with the darling of 19th and 20th century socialism, deserter of Southern Confederacy, champion of French guilliotine, anti-American during the wars of his time.
Rebuplican government ought be a permanent servant of the American people in their pursuit of all right and
happiness.
"As in philosophy and war, so in government, in oratory, in painting, in the plastic art, we might show that America, though but a child of yesterday, has already given hopeful proofs of genius, as well as of the nobler kinds, which arouse the best feelings of man, which call him into action, which substantiate his freedom, and conduct him to happiness, as of the subordinate, which serve to amuse him only." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.VI, 1782. ME 2:95 http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1800.htm
Didn't read the article ... lots to do today ..but saw Jeffersons name...
He was an "intellectual revolutionary" ..the man never fire a shot at the Brits, nor organized any resistance...he was the idea guy ...but thank goodness. Not everyone contributes to freedom by toting a rifle...he was inspirational and he later made quite a land deal from what I hear.
The coming summer I'm floating and camping on the Missouri in Montana for eight days. Following the Corps of Discovery.
You'll have to hike over Lolo Pass but when you get to the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater, I can put you up for a day or two on your way to the Pacific :)