well skeptic, you do make some interesting points. i must say a post shays rebellion style government would be more ideal in scope and size, but you have to remember that even the founding fathers were incapable and unwilling to follow there own constitution that they wrote and signed. ill give you an example. the founders waged a bloody war from 1775 (war was offically declared in 1776) until about 1783 over a 2 cent tax on tea. george washington, then president of the united states then turned around and lead the regular line infantry into battle against rebels who refused to pay a 3 cent tax on whiskey. john adams, the second president of the united stated signed the alien and sedition act into law which grossly violated the peoples rights to free speech. all those userpations are in a span of 12 years. so although i see where you are going and agree that we need to get that point it is by no mean the end goal, but rather a jumping off point for the next leg in the race for freedom. there are two options here, none of which are mutually exclusive. each state can become more libritarian over time by having a gradually decreasing state government. the other option is all out seccesion. both can work. what say you?