If anyone who owned slaves must be rejected the we have to reject the history of Rome, Greece, etc. etc.? Disclaimer, this post is not meant to argue, attack, or demean any other post, person, or fictional character.

If anyone currently believes in enslaving a populace through an authoritarian form of government is present...you are a troll and must go to the Bad Troll room. This post is meant to argue, attack and demean Putin. :)

Krellin, your argumentative skills impress once more. Well done.

"If anyone who owned slaves must be rejected the we have to reject the history of Rome, Greece, etc. etc.? Disclaimer, this post is not meant to argue, attack, or demean any other post, person, or fictional character."

One would think people who cry about tyranny & fascism would be careful about your glowing admiration for forms of government that endorsed slavery while doing so.

All I ask for is a little bit of perspective on these so-called good old days people keep pining for when they're whining about the present.

And it'd be nice if the whiners would help us out on the real civil liberties violations that go on unnoticed by them, such as the recent SC decision to allow strip searches for any reason. But they don't care.

"One would think people who cry about tyranny & fascism would be careful about your glowing admiration for forms of government that endorsed slavery while doing so..." says the guy who endorses 3rd world authoritarian governments that keep populations suppressed, destroy innovation and limit freedom while the glorious leadership lives in luxury.

Oh...that's a RICH one Putin. Now...to the Bad Troll room with you! You are wasting my time.

Civil Liberties...well, since Republicans were the actual party to free the slave, pass Civil Rights, etc...I'm SURE that Putin must be taking to his Liberal friends when he chastises about civil liberties...You are wasting our time, Bad Troll.

Funny how you people write flowery poetry about the 'amendment' process and the long painful, violent American process of internal change & reform (no thanks to conservatives, ever) but yet you don't have same kind of patience for countries who have been independent for 1/5th of the length of time the US has existed, much less have the resource advantages.

Really, you want to claim Lincoln and the Abolitionists for the Republican Party when your national candidates make common cause with the League of the South & hate on Lincoln on a daily basis, not mention the fact that you personally love trashing African Americans whenever you get the chance?

That's a flawed argument. It is entirely possible for the Republican Party to be doing the right thing a hundred and fifty years ago and be doing the opposite now, which is what I am seeing.

Nor do we have the same kind of patience for those cultures that have oppressed people for FAR longer than the US has existed...which cultures you tend to favor and support. Mr. Bad Troll...you grow tiresome with your inane inconsistencies.

You do know what realignment is, right?

Parliamentary goverrnment seems to work fine in smaller countries, with dense populations, and a largely homogeneous ethnic and religious population as in Europe. Divided government with separation of powers, federalism, and checks and eminating from an originating document seems to work just fine a geographically immense country, with low population density, and one of the world's most ethnically and religiously diverse populations such as the United States. Everyone doesn't need to eat the same flavor of ice cream to be satisfied with the flavor they have. This post expresses a viewpoint and isn't meant to argue, belittle, or demean any other post or person, fictional or real.

I don't know what 'oppression' is in your mind, Krellin. Since slavery is not oppression, I can only guess it means not letting the rich get away with murder.

I trash the activities of a collective group of people on occassion, I confess...when blacks put out hits on Hispanic men as a community and do not decry this action, I find that to be offensive, yes. Have YOU decried the bounty on Zimmerman's head, Putin? I didn't think so....neither have any leaders of the African American community. As for individual human beings, I have no pre-judgement.

But it's funny, Putin, you who so castigates the idea of prejudice...you are, perhaps, the most prejudiced guy on here...only your prejudice (let me define that for you...PRE-judging...) comes from the radical left and therefore is somehow acceptable. Tsk tsk, Putin. Putin, you've never met a middle-aged, mildly successful white guy that you didn't start off calling a racist, bigot and homophobe....because you are inherently prejudiced, but are too stupid to see it.

Putin....ahhhh...yopu mean like your Communist pals are soo good at doing? THIS is what you support....Rich, powerful men *literally* killing people to keep them in line. You have made posts supporting Middle Eastern countries which kill people on a regular basis for things like, oh, I don't know, a woman showing her face.

Yes...you back a noble set of causes, Putin. Keep up the good work, Bad Troll!

"Everyone doesn't need to eat the same flavor of ice cream to be satisfied with the flavor they have."

Latin America tried to copy our bizarre form of 'democracy' and it has not been terrific for them (see: Brazil for similar characteristics to the US in terms of density/size). Presidential systems are prone to coups and pretorian politics due to gridlock. Since people urgently need things done by the government, there is a natural tendency for presidents to go around legislatures. Also, Presidential systems only work if there is a very small number of parties, and even then if a legislature is controlled by one, and the Presidency the other, who is ultimately accountable for government action?

"Everyone doesn't need to eat the same flavor of ice cream to be satisfied with the flavor they have."

Ahhhhh yes, Putin....all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Yes....the peasants in your Communist societies should be HAPPY serving the lords of the manor, living on rice while the military and government officials lavish in luxury.

Noble cause!!! Bravo!!!

"Have YOU decried the bounty on Zimmerman's head, Putin?"

It wasn't a hit you dolt, it was call for a citizen's arrest. I endorsed the action. Unfortunately, our justice system would rather attack black people than do its job. You did see the video of Zimmerman's so-called "broken nose" right? Guess you don't care that you hero is a liar and a murderer.

"You have made posts supporting Middle Eastern countries which kill people on a regular basis for things like, oh, I don't know, a woman showing her face."

You can read about as well as you can argue. I've never once endorsed the Islamic fundamentalist governments the US government keeps promoting and installing, in Iraq, Libya, Syria and elsewhere. I supported secular progressive governments that kept these reactionary anti-women policies from being implemented. No thanks to you.

"Noble cause!!! Bravo!!!"

I didn't write that, you illiterate twit.

"Presidential systems are prone to coups" Demonstrate with facts, please. And, since we are generating random unsupported statements....I'm sure you have noticed that NON-Presedential governments are prone to....what was it you said?...coups and pretorian politics? Yes....those things....as well. They are also prone to brutal violence against their own people.

Bad Troll

Why do I keep seeing "USAF" in a constitutional debate? The US Air Force started as a division of the Army Signal Corps, eventually evolving into the Army Air Corps and later the Army Air Force before finally becoming its own branch. Both the Army and the Navy are provided for in the Constitution. Before anyone gives "standing army" bullshit, I'll preemptively counter that. A "standing army" in the 18th century implied that an army was deployed either at home or abroad in time of peace. Having a military that is not disbanded is not the same as having a "standing army".

I must agree that the Air Force is most definitely constitutional. Absurd to think otherwise.

The other problem with presidential systems is their fixed terms, which is why they are prone to coups because in parliamentary systems if a government becomes unpopular, you hold snap elections. Presidential systems are horrible for the third world, generally.

http://www1.american.edu/ia/cdem/pdfs/linz_perils_presidencialism.pdf

http://books.google.com/books?id=e5dkxDhDjCoC&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq=coups+number+presidential+democracy+parliamentary&source=bl&ots=q6Z0ZWX-Ds&sig=OOcfI-DUESnGUszesvJpW0TueVQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aB-DT4fSGOLo0QGzuMnrBw&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=coups%20%20&f=false

Putin...yes, the bounty on Zimmerman's head is for his *peaceful* capture by the rational thinking mobs in Florida.

You have the mind of a child, Putin. Communists are kind...angry mobs are peaceful.

Keep thinking that, Bad Troll...

Actually, Putin, you have argued that all the problems in the Middle East are the fault of the US...i.e. if it is all our fault, it is none of their own. Same thing.

Bad Troll!

A lot of them are. Sorry if the truth hurts. I know how you hate accountability or responsibility.

Regarding the original prompt, James Madison stated in 1792, "If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may take the care of religion into their own hands; they may appoint teachers in every State, county and parish and pay them out of their public treasury; they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union; they may assume the provision of the poor; they may undertake the regulation of all roads other than post-roads; in short, every thing, from the highest object of state legislation down to the most minute object of police, would be thrown under the power of Congress. ... Were the power of Congress to be established in the latitude contended for, it would subvert the very foundations, and transmute the very nature of the limited Government established by the people of America." There are other quotes like this, and with just a little bit of research it is obvious that the founders did not intend for the general welfare clause to be endless in the powers it gave Congress.

Can you provide a source for that quote?

"I know how you hate accountability or responsibility. " Says the guy that thinks brutal authoritarian governments are without fault, and all the problems in all the world are caused by the US. lol God, Putin, every time I think I have exaggerated your claims a little too far, you VALIDATE them and make yourself look like even more of an ass than I already knew you to be.

BAD BAD TROLL!! (Yeah...that's right...you got the Double-B this time...)
GO to your room...NOW! Actually...no...stick around, because we're laughing our asses off at you, Putin. Keep up the comedy gold!