That form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.”

From Jefferson's letter to Roger C. Weightman

Monticello, June 24, 1826

.“I should, indeed, with peculiar delight, have met and exchanged there congratulations personally with the small band, the remnant of that host of worthies, who joined with us on that day, in the bold and doubtful election we were to make for our country, between submission or the sword; and to have enjoyed with them the consolatory fact, that our fellow citizens, after half a century of experience and prosperity, continue to approve the choice we made. May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. CONTINUED

You have to be a total twit to take 7 words out of 56 designed to limit the role of government to justify an "active regulatory role of government" Putting it in context of the times the fear was the mob, loosely joined groups with goals to control others behavior beliefs or steal property. (Think pirates raping and pillaging.) Society needed and wanted protection from anarchy not regulations on the language of warnings of suffocation hazards on plastic bags. As to your second quote from Jefferson’s letter to Weightman regarding not being able to attend, along with a handful of original signatories, the 50th anniversary of the American independence. It is not a statement of socialism or communism it is a statement reiterating the innate freedom of man and his 50 year later proven ability to SELF govern. Quoted below in context.“

Personel attacks on appearence ussually fall flat with me (pudgy, balding, old guy) BUT your last line was priceless thank you

Good reminder. Tyrany in all its forms comes disguised as the public good. The right has a habit of wanting to protect the publics sensibilities. The left will jump on this bandwagon every time because it means more power to be exploited. Think back to the strange bedfellows of Gore and Tipper joining forces with the christian right to control rap speech. Lesson to all speech can not be controled only forced into whispers. Your kids will hear all the dirty words see all the dirty pictures eventually your job is to insulate them as long as possible relegating that chore to government is both ineffective and dangerous. If I was still a parent of young children MTV, BET, ABC family, and im sure there are others would not be allowed on my TV would they watch elsewhere, at some point but limiting access and demonstrating your disaproval sets the tone.

Robert slow a bit, in the depth of meaning department. She states it was an observation of what was going on at the time and a plan. Then she mocks the right for believing the plan she created based on the landscape of the day worked. So either she was intellectual dishonest at the time stating it was not a plan but merely an observation (analysis rather then a theoretical paper), or she is lying now, and it never was a plan just a coincidence that she would like to take credit for while simultaneously denying her role. Intellectually dishonest and schizophrenic in reasoning. Now troll along.

I've always wanted to go to Rio Linda I hear its a real rush.

Life is good, hope is in the air "We shall overcome" Question authority, speak truth to power and fear no man, for real men are on the side of freedom and will stand shoulder to shoulder against tyrany.

549 RICH? you have to be kidding me son. Most of the people that went to washington spent more then that. If you are going to have a hotel and stay a couple days it will cost you. I have been to many conferences in my years in business both as an attendee and as a presenter usual bill 600 for a local event 1000 to 3000 for a national. If you want meeting rooms break out groups and av equipment someone has to pay for it. No one was required to attend, perhaps the media hype as this as a national convention is what you are responding to as did the folks from Tenn. It was an opportunity to meet and network the founding fathers had to pay for lunch in Philadelphia too. Not everyone is corrupt and not everyone that went to that particular convention was rich. Just how much did that puter your pounding on set you back anyway sparky?

Ahmen Well done Mr Breitbart succinct and to the point. By the way I have never been to New York sounds like a good time.