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September 13, 2009

Some Political Philosophy, Courtesy of the 9/12 Rally

Carroll Andrew Morse

The tea party movement was born, in large part, as a response to a political class that was assuming that no serious public discussion was needed about whether bigger, more centralized government was better, whenever the government declared that bigger, more centralized government was necessary. Contra to this idea, an important feature of the 2009 tea party rallies has been vigorous discussions of the proper scope of government and of the relationship between government and the individual.

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Linked below are four short audio clips from Saturday's 9/12 rally at the Rhode Island statehouse, from speakers who were willing to take on some big ideas about civics, rights and self-government...Are ideas like these still considered, when decisions about big issues like healthcare and education get made, or has our current political leadership dismissed these ideas as too esoteric to be useful?

Starting with Ms. Conley's remarks and working backwards, what as a society and as a country do we all really all agree on is the foundation for working together, whether through government or outside? Where can Americans reasonably agree to disagree, and where do we have to press harder, towards better mutual understandings?



Signs, literally, of dissatisfaction with America's current political leaders...

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