WTF Is It Now?!?

Dr C sent us some random excerpts from the Federalist Papers:
The Federalist #6
(Hamilton)

"The causes of hostility among nations are innumerable. There are some which have a general and almost constant operation upon the collective bodies of society. Of this description are the love of power or the desire of preeminence and dominion........"

"And there are others.........which take their origin entirely in private passions; in the attachments, emnities, interests, hopes and fears of leading individuals in the communities of which they are members. Men of this class, whether the favorites of a king or of a people have in too many instances abused the confidence they possessed; and assuming the pretext of some public motive, have not scrupled to sacrifice the national tranquillity to personal advantage or personal gratification."

"Pericles.... was the primitive author of that famous and fatal war, distinguished in the Grecian annals by the name of Peloponnesian war; which, after various vicissitudes, intermissions, and renewals, terminated in the ruin of the Athenian commonwealth."
(after detailing the personal political reasons why Pericles started the Peloponnesian War)

The Federalist #4
(Jay)
"It is too true, however disgraceful it may be to human nature, that nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect of getting any thing by it; nay, absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for purposes and objects merely personal, such as a thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families or partisans. These and a variety of other motives, which affect only the mind of the sovereign, often lead him to engage in wars not sanctified by justice or the voice and interests of his people."

Why couldn't Peggy Noonan and Bob 'bobbing for Bush' Woodward have picked these guys to channel???


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