A quote from the Federalist Papers #4

[mikelewis]

"But the safety of the people of America against dangers from FOREIGN force depends not only on their forbearing to give JUST causes of war to other nations, but also on their placing and continuing themselves in such a situation as not to INVITE hostility or insult; for it need not be observed that there are PRETENDED as well as just causes of war.

It is too true, however disgraceful it may be to human nature, that nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect of getting anything by it; nay, absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for the purposes and objects merely personal, such as thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families or partisans. These and a variety of other motives, which affect only the mind of the sovereign, often lead him to engage in wars not sanctified by justice or the voice and interests of his people. But, independent of these inducements to war, which are more prevalent in absolute monarchies, but which well deserve our attention, there are others which affect nations as often as kings; and some of them will on examination be found to grow out of our relative situation and circumstances."

[masjenkins]

1. believe it or not. that was one of my favorite books in college. ...

a bit of a dry read fer sure... but fascinating. ( I went to one of those liberal art colleges with commie professors.. lol)

[The Traveler]

2. More than a little apropos

to our current situation. Damn, these guys were really smart. IQs have definitely dropped over the past couple hundred years, it seems.

[mikelewis]

3. Not necessarily, they're just a lot more static...

They still exist... they're just too busy trying to defend themselves from the attack of the ignorant. In a group of 290 million people, I'd bet we have more than our share of Hamilton's and Madison's. We just need to find them...

[devinsgram]

5. Absolutely true.

This is what I don't understand. You would think even the fundies would want someone who had a little smarts to run this country, not the village idiot, as I call him. Guess that thinking was wrong.

Right now, I could go down to the neighborhood bar and find someone equivalent to * who could do a better job.

[eridani]

4. And something in a similar vein from James Madison

http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?id=3269

"Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes. And armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended. Its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war...and in the degeneracy of manners and morals, engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."
-- James Madison