Editor's notes on U.S. government

Political science developed during the Age of Enlightenment . In the United State a philosophy State Liberalism developed with many ideas coming from John Lock's Second Treaties on civil government. Liberalism seeks individual freedom under the law. Liberal values from Lock concern an individual's natural rights of equality, liberty, property, the necessity of consent, and limited government. Order and importance of these rights was then and still is the focal point of U.S. political discussions. For about three-hundred years these discussions have centered on minimal state liberalism (today's conservatism) vs. active state liberalism (today's liberalism). The question was to what degree should government get involved with the protection of which of an individual's natural rights. How much property through taxes should be used to foster equality? Five recurring themes have been present in these political discussions.

1) American Exceptionalism exists because the country was formed at a unique time and place which allowed it to be special with a responsibility to provide an example of appropriate government. 2) The dynamic flexibility of America Liberalism has allowed concepts concerning individual rights to adjust as required by evolving circumstances. 3) The reconstitution of American government after the Civil War, the New Deal, and other less significant reconstitutions has been beneficial though controversial. 4) An expansion of "we the people" from white men of property, to white men, to all men, to all citizens, and recently continued with the addition of homosexuals. 5) Space, the freedom to separate individuals from oppressive government, religion, and other potentially tyrannical organizations has continued though some feel modern America has lost some of this space. Source: Cycles of American Political Thought See The Founders Constitution for a vast source of writings about the constitution. Editor's Note : Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton orchestrated the first federal tax on imports in 1789. Many believers in state rights were unhappy even though tax revenue was needed to pay Revolutionary War debt of both state and federal governments. Relative to GDP, it was the largest federal debt to exist until 1933 when revenue a collapse caused D3 (deep-do-do). Hamilton began the practices of increasing taxes (though not enough) to pay for war, paying interest and paying principle over a number of years. The practice of refinancing principal began after WWI. Some call this passing debt to our children but it has been 100 years and none has been paid so far. The practice of not increasing taxes to pay or war started with Bush II when he cut taxes while starting two wars and increasing Medicare. Hamilton (to the dismay of Jefferson) also began the practices of the federal government paying state founding father Madison "...defines a faction as "a number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community". with many states showing their appreciation by telling the federal government to stay out of state business. This practice continues today. Source