Comment: 19th century was better

in many respects. This is obvious. I make many of the same points to my friends on the left.

But let us not forget that Alien and Seditions act and the Whiskey Tax were enacted virtually before the ink was dry on the Constitution (not to mention Hamilton's bond fraud, central bank, etc.) Politicians will be politicians.

Let us also not forget that Lincoln's unconstitutional and totally unnecessary war introduced conscription and fiat money at the federal level, and resulted in the largest loss of American life in our history (equivalent to 8 million people, relative to today's population). If there was ever any real "checks and balances" in our system, Lincoln's war put an end to that.

The fact that it took another 40 years or so for the cancer to metastasize is irrelevant. Once the potentiality exists, it will eventually be realized. If the history of governments proves nothing else, it proves that.

The changes implemented in the early 20th century are symptomatic rather than causal. They were the natural and inevitable result of what came before.

In other words, it is very difficult to put the toothpaste back in the tube.