I've linked Washington's farewell address and pointed out the part where he talks about the problems with the "spirit of party", and it was ignored just as well as your talking about Federalist #10, Dawg, but what the heck I'll link his farewell address again.
Washington's 1796 Farewell Address
This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.
It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.
There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.
It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position. The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositaries, and constituting each the guardian of the public weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern; some of them in our country and under our own eyes. To preserve them must be as necessary as to institute them. If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed. The precedent must always greatly overbalance in permanent evil any partial or transient benefit, which the use can at any time yield.
SacrificialLoon
JoinedPosts by SacrificialLoon
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55
Republicans Report Much Better Mental Health Than Others
by BurnTheShips ininteresting!
any ideas why?.
princeton, nj -- republicans are significantly more likely than democrats or independents to rate their mental health as excellent, according to data from the last four november gallup health and healthcare polls.
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SacrificialLoon
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7
Incredible Game Music -Fluff
by Qcmbr inover my misspent computing hours i've come across some musical corkers.
my current favourite is actually the advert music in the uk for assassins creed - teardrop by massive attack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg8eqbsp9ao .
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SacrificialLoon
Oblivion intro
Medieval Total War stuff is good, too. -
23
..Things You should Know about the Devil!!..
by OUTLAW in..the devil is mean!....and..he will pee in your corn flakes!
!............................outlaw
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SacrificialLoon
Good thing I don't eat corn flakes.
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59
Islam Diss'ed Again....
by chappy inseems a 54 year old british school teacher who is teaching grammer school classes in the sudan has committed a despicable act by blastpheming and showing no respect for the prophet!
can you believe it; she actually allowed the children in her class to name a teddy bear being used in a class project muhammad!!
the sudanise government, carrying out its god given duty is putting her on trial.
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SacrificialLoon
Until the West stands up and says our way is better instead of trying to understand and accommodate this backwards way of life things will continue to deteriorate.
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40
When You Left The "Truth" Did You Have Any 2nd Thoughts?
by minimus inwere you 100% sure that your decision was correct?.
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SacrificialLoon
I'll buck the trend here, and say yes I did have second thoughts. When I became disillusioned, and stopped going to the meetings I still thought there was some truth there, and I was stuck between worlds for a time. It's not a fun place to be.
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SacrificialLoon
Not really, I don't see what point it would serve other than "Hey look at me!", besides if someone really wants to read it they can find it on their own.
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40
Wii or XBOX 360 or Playstation -- which to buy?
by UnConfused inadvice?
it will be mostly for my daughter, age 11 and she loves horse type games mostly.
the wii looking interesting of course.
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SacrificialLoon
Yeah, Wii. Good luck finding one though.
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11
Man vs Wild
by BlackSwan of Memphis inomg omg omg.
dunno if anyone watches this show, but we're sitting here watching it and omg the guy just ate a frog....a live frog.. ewwwwwwwwwww.
nasty stuff.
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SacrificialLoon
Bear Gryllis(?) and Les Stroud should have some kind of survival fight.
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14
fastfoward 20/20 were do you see the wts?
by karter ini'm sure it will be around but how big i don't know.. as the older ones die off or become inactive there doesn't seem to be as many stepping up to take there place as one elder said to me recently " iv'e just come from a meeting at bethal they talked a lot about how much of this generation we have lost it seems we have skipped a generation ".. after alot of growth in the 80's and early 90's things seemed to have tailed off in the western world .. in 1992 i helped build the kh i used to go to it was built to hold 250 it was about 3/4 full and growing now it has about 100 publishers they had 9 reg pioneers then now maybe 1 or 2 the enthusiasm seems to have faded at best.. i went to the talk with my wife the other week (she still active) alot asleep or staring into space when i left after the talk the was alot of people milling around and talking in the lobby.. what will happen in the future i don't know it's co's vist this week everyone will get reved up but it seems to faid just as quick.. your thoughts??
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SacrificialLoon
They'll still be around, the end will still be "soon", and there will still be lots of people who will believe them. Although they'll probably be mostly people from developing countries.
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17
Flog Her!!!
by Gill inhas anyone else been rather surprised (not) at the islamic reaction to this english teacher?.
i just wondered.
either i missed something, or some people in the world are and have always been totally insane!!!
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SacrificialLoon
That poor teddy bear, how dare they insult that poor stuffed animal by naming it after a misogynistic polytheist pedophile.