Are you a domestic terrorist?

[kandrathe]

Quick question: how do you, a somewhat libertarian sort if I recall some of our previous discussions, square Jefferson's seriously affected "small government" principles with his imperial and expansionist habits? Standard Democratic imperialism, perhaps, from Jefferson to Monroe to Polk to Wilson to FDR? :D(Oh, wait, McKinley wasn't a Democrat ...)

I have to accept history as it is written. There is no way of going back to change things in the past. Great men, with good ideas, unable to convince enough people of their importance. Like many good ideas, the primary tenets of the American liberty movement got crapped upon before the ink dried(see whiskey rebellion). It doesn't mean I'm willing to abandon our founding principles. Who knows, maybe Glen Beck's mob will wrest power from the socialists one day. :-)

As to Polk, within Texas there was no small political debate on the matter of annexation. That there was, in the end, only one dissenting vote in the legislature regarding the final agreement strikes me as a politically acceptable act, not Polk pulling a fast one on much of anyone.

You might be right. It just seems strange that they would join the union in 1846 then secede in 1850.