In this current political climate, can we take instruction from the Ancients?

In 2,064 years, we've learned to deceive, to manipulate, to steal, to lie, to break promises, to commit fraud, to cheat ............... the list goes on, and on, and on, ...............

Just because something might belong to us, it doesn't mean that we can keep it. The same as if we deserve to receive something, it doesn't mean that it will be freely given to us. Then, if we do receive something that we're entitled to, it doesn't mean that something else won't be taken away in the form of compensation.

No Country or Government sets out to commit Financial Suicide. They attempt to predict prosperity for one and all and I'm sure that they're sincere in their beliefs that if we all work as a Team, we can achieve the rewards. Then there's the "do-gooders" who mock and the Opposing Government who challenge and ridicule - last but not least, there's the "free-riders" who want everything for nothing because they have "rights".

The ideas of Cicero haven't changed in the last 2,064 years, but as time progresses and prices continue to escalate, we're finding it harder and harder to make ends meet, so we tend to look for the easy way out.

When we tell our wife in the morning:- "goodbye Darling, I'm going to work" - wouldn't it be nice if we actually did what we told her we were going to do ....... WORK!!!!!

President John F. Kennedy once said:- "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country".

Perhaps at some time in the future, mankind might understand that "as ye sow, so shall ye reap". Let's hope this eventuates - my Grandchildren's lives depend on it.

Cicero was one smart fellow. I think he was generalizing about the situation as he was able to understand it at the time. Four sensible "should"s followed by an emphatic and hopeful "must". There is much good to be had from ancient thought. Sorry I'm not able to read this in Latin as that might be even better.

We have always knows what to do, what must be done.

But power corrupts and in this representative constitutional republic where half the voters love the bread and circuses, it follows that half the legislators will cater to them. Unfortunately the other half caters to monied interests. Very few of our representatives seem interested in what's good for Americans or America, they are too focused on playing political games.

Cicero's common sense always seems to get trampled by the ambitious.

Yes and they had live for a thousand years. How can you govern with people who want the government out of their live until something happens to them, then they want the government to pay for everything. They want to cut back on Social Security and Medicare but we as workers paid in the money weekly or monthly, today they still take from my SS check Medicare Insurance.

Sounds good although I didn't hear anything about the privileged giving up any of their luxuries. Maybe Cicero was a bit too close to them.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -- George Santayana

Just as Rome fell, if we continue on this path we too shall fall.

We probably should, but we probably won't. Didn't Rome go bankrupt eventually?