I thought this was important to save here. From Legal History Blog and Balkinization:

The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

I did not get around to posting about Barack Obama winning in November. But Hooray for that! I am certain that his win is SO much better than the alternative, for one thing because Obama in a small but significant way is NOT in favour of torture, as opposed to John McCain.

It was an immensely important choice for American voters, and like, it seems, the rest of the world I followed the elections closely, and I was thrilled at the result.

That said, how do things look one month later? How ’bout that ol’ Hope’n Change thing?

Will Obama be open and clear about changing the way the country (and, by implication, other countries) is (are) run? Or will he be shrewdly changing the country by long-term pragmatic shifts at the Centre?

Judging by this recent posting by Obama aide Steve Hildebrand, I should probably Curb My Enthusiasm and Audacity of Hope. Hildebrand is arguing that the left should not be too concerned with Obama’s many centre-right choices for senior positions in his cabinet.

As Jim Johnson argues here, however, there certainly is reason for concern.

Around Christmas time, I finished reading Freedom Just Around the Corner: A New American History, 1585-1828 by Walter A. McDougall. One might say that I should not be reading such stuff that is off-topic as regards my thesis. But it was a good and enlightening read, and inspiring for its wit, naration and mix of small stories and broad but convincing brush-strokes.

A big thank-you note then goes to Lars since he gave me the book a while back, and it is only now that I actually got around to reading it.

The book draws its title from the Bob Dylan song:

Standing on the waters casting your bread

While the eyes of the idol with the iron head are glowing

Distant ships sailing into the mist,

You were born with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was blowing.

Freedom just around the corner for you

But with truth so far off what good will it do?

Jokerman dance to nightingale tune,

Bird fly high by the light of the moon,

Oh, oh, oh Jokerman.

As I said it makes a wonderful read, and in its clear and inspiring writing style it was perhaps not that far off from the thesis writing as might appear. In any case, reading the book somehow forms a part of the Tocqueville project that Lars and I want to get going… at some point.