chickaree wrote: What possible reason does anyone have for this scenario? That a party other than your own holds power? Have we gone so far from the founders vision that we are unable to see that compromise and acceptance are the very foundation of our republic? Very sad. Alternatively there is a steady population who think life is a video game and war at home would be " great fun". Nothing like imposing your values at the point of your gun. It's sickening to me that so many find war appealing and romantic.
In answer to your question chicaree, I offer the following excerpt from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to William Giles on December 26, 1825:
I see, as do you, and with the deepest affliction, the rapid strides with which the federal branch of our government is advancing towards the usurpation of all the rights reserved to the States, and the consolidation in itself of all powers, foreign and domestic; and that too, by constructions which, if legitimate, leave no limits to their power. Take together the decisions of the federal court, the doctrines of the President, and the misconstructions of the constitutional compact acted on by the legislature of the federal branch, and it is but too evident, that the three ruling branches of that department are in combination to strip their colleagues, the State authorities, of the powers reserved to them, and to exercise themselves all functions foreign and domestic..........Under the authority to establish post roads, they claim that of cutting down mountains for the construction of roads, of digging canals and aided by a little sophistry on the words "general welfare", a right to do, not only the acts to effect that, which are specifically enumerated and permitted, but whatsoever they shall think, or pretend will be for the general welfare. And what is our resource for the preservation of the constitution? Reason and argument? You might as well reason and argue with the marble columns encircling them. The representatives chosen by ourselves? They are joined in the combination, some from incorrect views of the government, some from corrupt ones, sufficient voting together to out-number the sound parts; and with majorities only of one, two, or three, bold enough to go forward in defiance. Are we then to stand to arms with the hot-headed Georgian? No. That must be the last resource, not to be thought of until much longer and greater sufferings. We must have patience and longer endurance then with our brethren while under delusion; give them time for reflection and experience of consequences; keep ourselves in a situation to profit by the chapter of accidents; and separate from our companions only when the sole alternatives left, are the dissolution of the Union with them, or submission to a government without limitation of powers. Between these two evils, when we must make a choice, there can be no hesitation. But in the meanwhile, the States should be watchful to note every material usurpation of their rights; to denounce them as they occur in the most peremptory terms; to protest against them as wrongs to which our present submission shall be considered, not as acknowledgments or precedents of right, but as a temporary yielding to the lesser evil, until their accumulation shall overweigh that of separation.
The long and great suffering has been going on since 1824, it is now 2011. The experience of consequences which we stand on the brink of suffering due to the delusion of consolidating into one entity all power of governance, foreign and domestic, has been patiently dealt with for nearly 190 years now. At some point in time if we continue down this path, the sole alternatives left will be submission to a general government without any limitations of power or the exercising of our natural right to alter or abolish the government which seeks to govern without any limitations of power. The warnings are being issued with ever greater frequency. We spoke out against ObamaCare, we spoke out against TARP, we are speaking out with regards to the ruinous debt that we are being saddled with. The usurpation of the rights of the States are being denounced and they are being protested against. At some point in time the deaf ears unto which all have fallen will make separation the lesser of the two evils. The precedence was set in the Civil War as to the willingness of the general government to allow a peaceful separation when that time is reached. Perhaps that sentiment has changed, but I doubt it.
