Comment: Maybe not, maybe so.

It is more clear to speak directly and avoid sarcasm.

Franklin told the folks in London that they could send troops, but they wouldn't find an armed insurrection to squash, just normal people going about their lives and refusing to pay a tax or two. Could they have achieved independence without bloodshed? In the realm of infinite possibilities, sure, but it wouldn't have been easy.

We have a great deal more cause for armed revolution today than they did then, yet I do not support shooting anyone, not even Bernanke. This nation was born in war and is at war today. We are reliving the whole thing, so yeah, I think there were mistakes.