18 Comments

As I was listening to this audiobook, I realized that Albert Jay Nock had quite a bit to say about the articles of confederation. https://youtu.be/smRSA44dtAc?si=Zr02BFNR0pd_7h1h

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Your chart makes inaccurate statements on the Constitution

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Sun Tsu in the Art of War:

Know the enemy and know thyself, and you need not fear the result of 100 battles.

Know thyself but not the enemy and you will win half the time.

Know neither the enemy nor thyself and you will lose every time.

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You cannot be a fan of the Articles of Confederation without also knowing the Constitution well. But most of us know very little about the A of C, and have never even seen a copy of the anti-Federalist papers. So you can expect to win all the debates.

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Sep 25Liked by Bill Buppert

WOW. I want to thank you Mr Buppert. Great history lesson. I wish we could have civil debates like this today.

Mr Howe represents the mindset that put this country on its empire building crusade. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Your comments represent true individual freedom and liberty. I would prefer o be living under the latter conditions even if it meant we weren’t as prosperous as a nation but still retained our freedoms.

I wonder if his position is the same today given 14 years have passed since the debate and we have progressed light years towards total tyranny.

Do you do any podcasts sharing your knowledge? I’d love to hear more.

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author

Thanks for the kind words, Travis. Mine is not a popular position.

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Sep 26Liked by Bill Buppert

It’s obvious that our government today is corrupted from op to bottom. So much that they now blatantly flaunt it to our face. It needs to be torn down and rebuilt with something better and reverting to the AoC would be the best way IMO.

Have you ever listened to LTC Steven Murray’s shows on Rumble? He gets a good group of military guys that have various specialties to do Sit Reps and round tables on current events. They often say things like, “our current government is not sustainable and needs to be restored to the people”, but they don’t know what that will look like; other than we will need to go through hell getting to the other side. Your knowledge of the AoC would help that conversation.

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author

He's had me on twice and we are speaking one on one in October.

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Sep 26Liked by Bill Buppert

I’ll have to search for those episodes. Can’t wait to hear you on in October. I just started listening to his shows a couple months back.

Thank you for educating me and the community at large!

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Sep 25Liked by Bill Buppert

I’m sorry. I meant do you any other content creators podcasts?

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author

The Chasing Ghosts podcast I run covers war and conflict topics.

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I was in the audience for this debate lo so many years ago! I remember it well, particularly how Mr. Buppert truly surprised Dr. Howe with both his rigorous support of AOC and his withering attack on the constitution. It was a spectacular sight and a fantastic opportunity for all of those in attendance. I have been following the intellectual output of Mr. Buppert ever since.

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author

You are so kind, Robert.

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Sep 25Liked by Bill Buppert

Based on the recording, it seems that Dr Howe considered the United States becoming a 'great nation' is something he considered of great worth. In many ways, Bill's argument seems to center on Liberty and Freedom being the paramount good to be sought after and maintained.

I wish the conversation/debate had engaged more on the Spooner quote Bill shared at the beginning. So many of the encroachments of the leviathan federal government would be impossible to realize under the articles of confederation.

If freedom is what you value most, the articles of confederation would serve you better than the constitution.

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Christopher, Spooner is a major influence on my thinking and I happen to own all six volumes of his complete works. The debate format was time constricted but I had plenty of great after-debate conversations with folks who were still in the thrall of Hamilton's scam.

Three things that make me a sober historian:

1. The woketopians think it is all about power (they're right) but they think the right authoritarians will bring utopia and I know that ALL political power leads to evil deeds.

2. Good history is interpreted and written by those who know altruism is always a lie.

3. Buppert's Corollary to Acton's Axiom: "Power attracts the corruptible and absolute power attracts even worse."

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They co-opted the Constitution with the Bill of Rights. Everyone used a pen name except Patrick Henry in the Anti-Federalist papers. The take away should be the “People” are the States . The preamble was changed by the style committee led by Gouverneur Morris. A good primer is “The Quartet” by Joseph Ellis. He wrote “American Sphinx” as well.

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Sep 24Liked by Bill Buppert

I was already on your side with the debate, but your opponent sounded like a Disney villain and that certainly didn't help his case.

Fundamentally the problem is that all the things he sees as good and desirable about the constitution, I see as bad. So if there's anyone in the audience who was confused about what each document stood for, this might have clarified things. But for everyone else, there was nothing to reconsider.

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Sep 24Liked by Bill Buppert

Hi Bill! I just want to say THANK YOU!! for your views. I encountered similar in my various career endeavors. American Academia has been largely a charade for many years. They can be “Book Smart” yet still be mostly useless, lack of common sense and true critical thinking left the scene long ago. Send them to pick up a pizza, they’ll bring back a cherry pie! Thank’s again, Best Regards.

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Sep 24Liked by Bill Buppert

Bill, I absolutely love being educated by you probably more than Dr. Howe did. Your eloquence and command of the English language combined with your knowledge of history completely obliterated his argument for why we need Articles of Confederation. I think he never saw you coming! Well done Bill! I am as always, your humble student.

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