“A martial nobility and stubborn commons, possessed of arms, tenacious of property, and collected into constitutional assemblies form the only balance capable of preserving a free constitution against the enterprise of an aspiring prince” FormFreedomArmsBalanceCapableConstitutionPropertyEnterprisePossessedStubbornNobilityAssemblyTenacious Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Source: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
“Remember, government is not an enlightened organization designed to promote public welfare. It is barbaric, uncivilized force…military and police power put to the service of the insiders who control it. Yes, there are constraints on the way the insiders use their power. There are ‘checks and balances,’ built into the constitution, for example. And there are cultural norms and traditional prohibitions. But eventually, the norms and traditions wear off, like painkillers. And then, the pain of raw government begins again.” WayUseGovernmentPainRememberExampleBalanceBuiltTraditionOrganizationConstitutionPoliceChecksTraditionalWelfareEnlightenedNormConstraintsProhibitionBegin AgainInsidersBarbaricUncivilizedPainkillersPolice PowerPublic Welfare Author:Bill Bonner
“I've been involved in the intelligence side of the federal government for a long time. We all know that we have to have a balance between security to protect the American people and liberty. We take an oath to protect and defend the constitution and the American people.” PeopleKnowsLongGovernmentSidesLibertySecurityBalanceInvolvedProtectLong TimeConstitutionFederal GovernmentOath Author:Barack Obama
“It was during the eighteenth century - a period of boastful satisfaction with the nice balances within the English constitution - that Englishmen came to accept the Whig view of the utility of an armed citizenry. The armed citizen was not only affirmed to be protecting himself but, together with his fellows, provided the ultimate check on tyranny.” TogetherViewsAcceptingNiceCenturyBalanceCitizensPeriodsUltimateConstitutionFellowsSatisfactionTyrannyChecksUtilityEnglishmenSecond AmendmentCitizenryArmed Citizens Author:Joyce Lee Malcolm
“Implementing parts of European constitution and leaving out others - without knowing where we're going - isn't an option. That would be detrimental to the overall balance, which is why we must embark on another comprehensive discussion of the issue once again. I would like to see Europe retain the idea of a constitution in the end, and I plan to campaign on its behalf.” IdeasEndsWould BeKnowingIssuesPlansBalanceEuropeConstitutionLeavingCampaignsDiscussionBehalfComprehensiveDetrimentalImplementing Author:Angela Merkel
“The First Amendment of the Constitution was not written to protect the people from religion; that amendment was written to protect religion from government tyranny. . . But now we're told our children have no right to pray in school. Nonsense. The pendulum has swung too far toward intolerance against genuine religious freedom. It is time to redress the balance.” PeopleFirstsChildrenGovernmentSchoolReligiousWrittenPrayingBalanceProtectConstitutionOur ChildrenGenuineTyrannyNonsenseAmendmentsIntoleranceFirst AmendmentReligious FreedomPendulumsRedressGovernment Tyranny Author:Ronald Reagan
“Justice [Sandra Day] O'Connor has been a guardian of the protections the Constitution provides the American people. She's come to provide balance and a check on government intrusion into our personal privacy and freedoms.” PeopleHas BeensGovernmentJusticeBalanceConstitutionProtectionChecksPrivacyGuardianIntrusionSandra Day O ConnorPersonal PrivacyPrivacy And Freedom Author:Patrick Leahy
“I believe that the power to declare war is most important in limiting the powers of the national government in regard to the rights of its citizens, but that it does not require Congress to give its approval before the president uses force abroad. I do not believe that the framers of the Constitution understood the power to declare to mean "authorize" or "commence" war. That does not mean that the separation of powers or checks and balances will not work.” GivingBelieveMeanImportantWarI BelievePresidentBalanceConstitutionSeparationSeparation Of Powers Author:John Yoo
“The basic premise of the Constitution was a separation of powers and a system of checks and balances because man was perceived as a fallen creature and would always yearn for more power.” MenBalanceCreaturesConstitutionSeparationChecksFallenPremisesSeparation Of Powers Author:Roy Moore
“Constitutions become the ultimate tyranny," Paul said. "They’re organized power on such a scale as to be overwhelming. The constitution is social power mobilized and it has no conscience. It can crush the highest and the lowest, removing all dignity and individuality. It has an unstable balance point and no limitations.” SaidSocialBalanceHighestConscienceDignityUltimateConstitutionIndividualityScalesTyrannyLimitationCrushOrganizedOverwhelmingLowestMonarchyUnstableMonarchsSocial Power Book:Dune Messiah Source: Dune Messiah