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I'm not trying to equate the Bush administration with the Nazi party, but there are some parallels I see.
FWIW, I think you made that very clear. With any government intervention there is always the question of "is the government overstepping its bounds." Interestingly enough, Republicans and Democrats both alledge this, but for different things. And often, the complete disconnect between liberal and conservative thinking leads one to believe the other isn't thinking at all. That's sad, but I've seen it over and over again. Usually it's the "followers" who make the accusation, though sometimes it comes from the other two groups (I agree with your groupings, BTW, though even "free thinking" is rooted in notions picked up by first "following").

What I cannot do (or actually, what I TRY not to do) is look at the group of "followers" and see them as lesser human beings, which seems to be what a lot of the "free thinking" crowd does. Perhaps I was just reading too much into the rant, but that's the sense I was getting. There are many "followers" out there who I'd much rather be like than some of the "free thinkers" or "leaders".

Having said all that, being a follower has it's consequences (as you point out), and they are severe.
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-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.