Comments on: What Makes A Nation http://belowthebeltway.com/2006/06/29/what-makes-a-nation/ I believe in the free speech that liberals used to believe in, the economic freedom that conservatives used to believe in, and the personal freedom that America used to believe in. Sat, 23 Jul 2011 17:00:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: TB http://belowthebeltway.com/2006/06/29/what-makes-a-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-647 TB Thu, 29 Jun 2006 14:13:06 +0000 http://belowthebeltway.com/2006/06/29/what-makes-a-nation/#comment-647 Yeah, I'm going to have to agree. "Whether the overwhelming majority of people living under that government recognizes its legitimacy" sounds a lot like what Mitt Romney was just quoted saying.. "Who?s going to tell us what a civil right is and what?s not? Well, the people will." [Shudders] Yeah, I’m going to have to agree. “Whether the overwhelming majority of people living under that government recognizes its legitimacy” sounds a lot like what Mitt Romney was just quoted saying.. “Who?s going to tell us what a civil right is and what?s not? Well, the people will.” [Shudders]

]]> By: KipEsquire http://belowthebeltway.com/2006/06/29/what-makes-a-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-646 KipEsquire Thu, 29 Jun 2006 13:43:10 +0000 http://belowthebeltway.com/2006/06/29/what-makes-a-nation/#comment-646 Warbiany's definition is flawed and dangerous. What is "an overwhelming majority" and what becomes of those not part of it? Randy Barnett's definition is better, though I am paraphrasing: A legitimate government is one for which a person subject to it has no rational basis to question its legitimacy -- which can only be the case when government powers are minimized and individual rights are maximized. Warbiany’s definition is flawed and dangerous. What is “an overwhelming majority” and what becomes of those not part of it?

Randy Barnett’s definition is better, though I am paraphrasing: A legitimate government is one for which a person subject to it has no rational basis to question its legitimacy — which can only be the case when government powers are minimized and individual rights are maximized.

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