Look at the orators in our republics... they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy... Aristophanes (446-386 BC)

 "Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy."

Aristophanes (446-386 BC)
Plutus (388 BC)

Consistently true since antiquities, yet upon each election cycle voters like drones still alternate among parties else politicians within parties expecting better outcomes.

The misguided assumption driving the aforementioned depend merely on the politician's crafted then titillated rhetoric as well marketed then perceived character, rather than the studious, ponderous, laborious diligence per causality, observation, logic, consistency, sustainability, ethic, even morality, piety thereby precise, concise principle then rigid, unamendable framework.

Such considerations and conclusions would progress towards rescissions upon rescissions thus reductions upon reductions throughout republic and government, restructuring the stage perhaps decor and theater too, not just replacing the thespian perhaps cast and crew too.

The challenge often ignored, covetousness ever present within each and every individual, combined with the human propensity for error and excess, thus always susceptible to be incited then excited into presumption onto arrogance and more (please, see prior post).

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

As the French riots destroy, burn and injure, an inconvenient truth always ignored during such times whether there or here...

 

As the French riots destroy, burn and injure, an inconvenient truth always ignored during such times whether there or here...

Government subsidies of all sorts incite and excite human covetousness into presumption onto arrogance, facilitating first entitlement, second dissatisfaction, third jealousy, fourth discontentment, fifth delusion, sixth psychosis, seventh commotion, eighth unrest, nineth false-moralities, eleventh activism, twelfth the slippery slope of demonstration, riot, violence, destruction of others' property and person while supporting preferred forms of tyranny.

"The climax of the Ten Commandments is the Tenth Commandment – 'Thou shat not covet' – Actually we break this last commandment, not to covet, before we break any of the others. Any time that we break one of the other commandments of God, it means that we have already broken this commandment, in coveting."

Francis August Schaeffer (1912-1984)
True Spirituality (1971)

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

Upon the latest wave of NO KINGS! demonstrations, there arise at least one comment then question. Where were such criticisms and condemnations for President Biden, as well Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, etc.?

 

Upon the latest wave of NO KINGS! demonstrations, there arise at least one comment then question. There are, of course, plenteous reasons if to criticize even condemn President Trump. However, where were such criticisms and condemnations for President Biden, as well Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, etc.?

Furthermore, kingly presumptions and arrogances reside not only in the Oval Office and the many departments, agencies, bureaus, services, task forces, committees within the Executive Branch, rather the same kingly presumptions and arrogances far reaching among the two congressional chambers thus House and Senate of the Legislative Branch, as well the numerous districts, courts, offices, centers, conferences of the Judicial Branch. Yet for each congressional class and judicial bench, in addition to every presidential administration, again, where were such criticisms and condemnations?

This sort of inquiry assumes observation, logic, consistency, while fully aware of the acute partisanship cancerously widespread among both major parties and their donors, cronies, and supporters.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

Without common grace, everything would collapse with a single, awesome peal of thunder and sink into hell. The fact that everything is still standing... because God's common grace is so omnipotent... Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)

 

"Without common grace, everything would collapse with a single, awesome peal of thunder and sink into hell. The fact that everything is still standing, and that as it stands it still manifests much beauty, is not because sin is not so terrible or the curse not so awful, but because God's common grace is so omnipotent."

Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)
Common Grace Vol. 2 (1905)

And "everything is still standing" partly due to the significant subset within Common Grace, that which Science ardently strives to understand, that is to say, the cosmos thus the physical, material realities. Another significant subset within the aforementioned significant subset is, of course, Causality per the innumerable Causes and Effects throughout the Cosmos, insomuch Science ardently strives again to understand the Consistencies for the avoidance of Detriment, for the development of Benefit, ergo for the preservation of Humanity, as Divinely intended.

God's Common Grace is as logically comprehensible by Science, naturally by Reason as graciously common, as it is mysteriously restorative by Theology, scripturally by Revelation as graciously particular. And so it is no surprise if one studies the history of academia, that two axioms were respected and regarded widespread until the late 19th century and (very) early 20th century; firstly Logic, the Science of Sciences, secondly Theology, the Queen of Science. And since the presumptuous, arrogant abandoning of the latter theological axiom, hence safeguards foolishly minimized then eliminated thereby exposed further to avarice, convenience, expedience, politicization, then compromise, corruption, collusion, conspiracy, and more, there occurred the covetous, expeditious abandoning of the former logical axiom incrementally during 20th century then exponentially upon 21st century.

"Collusion o’er wanton infatuation per avid predilection
Such collaboration `fore forcible execution of confiscation
O paralleling the exaction upon erecting the covetousness
Masturbating thy presumptuousness, ejaculating thy boldness"

To note, verse taken from my 12th book Propositions, Problems & Poems on the Peculiar Human ABILITY to REASON, Singular Human RIGHT to CONSENT & Other Neglected Matters (May 2022).

Finally as God so deemed, Particular Grace divinely proffered within Common Grace's continual preservation of the cosmos thus humanity especially, as understood solely by Revelation per Scripture.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

AI; Artificial Intelligence... To clarify, the reference "artificial" is the operative word that exposes the reality, truth, fact, as well practicality...

 

AI; Artificial Intelligence... There is an explosion of AI-generated content in forms of entertainment, political commentary, even longer forms as though a documentary, music video, education, information, even news. Ergo as such, the distribution of information now rely on comparatively very few. The few did not forcefully take such control, rather, the general population willfully allowed it per overuse.

To clarify, the reference "artificial" is the operative word that exposes the reality, truth, fact, as well practicality.

To expand, the reference "intelligence" is plainly for marketing, intrigue, mystic, enticement, illusion, even propaganda.

Countless human beings constantly work to provide software-managed data, seemingly appearing as intelligence, while generating revenues, paychecks, dividends, profits.

In actuality, the appearance merely represents the collective efforts of many human beings no more intelligent, no more educated, no more knowledgeable, no more skilled, no more abled, no more noble, no more logical, no more consistent, no more ethical than everyone else in the world today as well yesterday and tomorrow.

Furthermore...

The same collective efforts of many human beings are no less finite, no less limited, no less flawed, no less error-prone, no less excessive, no less biased, no less prejudiced, no less covetous, no less corruptible than everyone else in the world today as well yesterday and tomorrow.

Yes, of course, use AI if you prefer, however do so wisely, prudently, cautiously, sparingly, critically, question it as you would question others. For others presumptuously, arrogantly, perhaps deceptively posing as wizards are in fact behind the AI curtain pulling the levers.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

If taxation without consent is not robbery, then any band of robbers have only to declare themselves a government, and all their robberies are legalized... Lysander Spooner

 As posted elsewhere...

"If taxation without consent is not robbery, then any band of robbers have only to declare themselves a government, and all their robberies are legalized." – Lysander Spooner

Then as I commented elsewhere and now here...

Lysander Spooner; perhaps my favorite writer on American matters regarding political theory, constitutional law, legal history, jury nullification, and more. On similar topics outside economics, perhaps Albert J. Nock a very close second.

Interestingly, as much the few or some understand the problems of today, with Ron Paul, Daniel McAdams, Tom Woods, Rand Paul, Thomas Massie among the most outspoken, Spooner and Nock discerned the same problems and others as early in US history as mid 19th century and early 20th century respectively. By their writings, one can easily identify the earliest of rot-at-root for much if not all current events.

After reading Spooner's magnum opus and multi-volume entitled No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority (1870), I coincidently reread the brilliant warning to the Hebrew tribes by the Old Testament prophet Samuel as recorded in the book 1st Samuel, chapter 8, verses 10 through 19. To note, in the mid 16th century the young Etienne de La Boétie penned an astonishingly similar dissertation and warning entitled Discourse on Voluntary Servitude. I recall the contemplation after reading Samuel's insight, what if there was such a voice who likewise warned the American colonials during the Summer and Scheme of 1787 and the few years thereafter. Yet, there were such voices now known as the Anti-Federalists, and like the Hebrews who did not heed, nor did the Colonials.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

Americans may intellectually know United States have a multi-party electoral, political system, however emotionally behave as though a two-party electoral, political system...

 

I saw this posted, but I did not want to counter by reposting, rather as my own standalone post. And so I commented there as I am here...

Third parties are options, for most Americans may intellectually know United States have a multi-party electoral, political system, however emotionally behave as though a two-party electoral, political system.

As far as Libertarian Party, I will not reconsider the party until I see candidates proposing platforms with nothing but rescissions, not more legislations, not even legislations to fix past legislations, nor legislations to negate past legislations, again, simply rescissions then promise to veto every bill that crosses his/her executive desk (unless a rescission), as well promise to never issue an execute order or mandate, and promise to end wars by chiefly commanding all troops and ships to return to United States, and never to redeploy without congressional approval as required by the US Constitution although a long flawed thus failed document.

Until such time, the Libertarian Party remains categorically as Republican-Lite... My apologies.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23