That's right @Absalom ... but then, which won out in the end? It is the nature of republics to go the way of assholery and wind up under tyrants... That's what happens and that's where we are without a massive awakening and utter repentance.
And with the current tenor of the 'debate', I have no confidence whatsoever in either awakening or repentance.
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Intuitive as usual.
Since we are flawed and mortal; history, sadly affirms your assertion;
so perhaps the best we can expect is a postponement of the inevitable.
As you're well aware, Rome survived and thrived for some 12 centuries,
yet fell, although they absorbed the Wisdom of Greece while adhering
to the Principles that birthed them.
So to w/Britain, who absorbed and adhered to the Ideas of some of
history's greatest minds.
We, who are a tad past 200 years, insist "we are the greatest!!!"
Hmm.........; which begs the question, compared to whom?????