Remember him? Author of "Common Sense" and other pamphlets that influenced the revolutionary thinking of the 18th century British colonies in America?
Almost everything appertaining to the circumstances of a nation, has been absorbed and confounded under the general and mysterious word government. Though it avoids taking to its account the errors it commits, and the mischiefs it occasions, it fails not to arrogate to itself whatever has the appearance of prosperity. It robs industry of its honours, by pedantically making itself the cause of its effects; and purloins from the general character of man, the merits that appertain to him as a social being.
Our president, and some of his acolytes, like Elizabeth Warren, should take this quote to heart and maybe even read some more of Paine's work, The Rights of Man, for instance.
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