Matt Barrow wrote:
"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...

Yes, absolutely. Fortunately, for all of its problems, we've enjoyed
pretty good government ... even when the democrats were in control. :-)
However, the possibility always exists that our government will move to
a point where we must start again.


A democracy (actually a Constitutional Republic) like ours only gets into
situations like we have (and might encounter) if the people allow it.

That is true to a large degree, but it was also true in Europe from
whence our founders fled. However, we do have a lot of "legislation"
now effectively occurring from the bence from judges appointed (not
elected!) for life. This is a lot harder for the people to stop anytime
soon.


Don't blame the Representatives, or Senate, the executives or even the
bureaucracy. NONE of them was put in place by a coup. Rather, blame your
neighbors that vote to allow such practices that are contrary to the supreme
law, or to your ancestors that started taking apart the law and demanding
statist practices over 100 years ago.

I wasn't talking about blaming anyone, I was simply stating the purpose
of the Constitution. It is to protect the people from a government run
amok.


I'll admit that I have a hard time
compehending that myself, but the writers of the Constitution were
keenly aware of this issue!


The put a lot more trustin "the people" than was evidently justified by
today state of affairs.

Well, yes and no. They tried to keep the peoples' involvement somewhat
at arms length. I believe that is why we have a Republic rather than a
true democracy. However, do governmental design is perfect and ours is
degrading already as people will always vote for themselves more money
than they want to put in via taxes. Once you create an entitlement
society, which the "new deal" and the "great society" began, you are on
the path to destruction, even with a government as well designed as ours.


Matt