FOREWORD
by Edwin Meese III
Former Attorney General of the United States

Americans are a people of strong opinions who have always debated vigorously the issues of the day. The Founders forcefully debated the provisions of the Constitution at the Philadelphia convention and later in the press through The Federalist Papers. Partisans North and South passionately debated the institution of slavery. In the twentieth century, we intensely debated America’s entry into World War I, the New Deal, isolationism versus interventionism prior to Pearl Harbor, civil rights, the Great Society, the policy of containment, and the conduct of the cold war.

Uninhibited debate, you might say, is as American as apple pie. Yet no matter how strongly those on each side felt, they endeavored to respect the other’s point of view. They did their best to avoid the odious practice of substituting personal attacks for substantive examination of the issue at hand.

As a result-and this is a critical point-these great debates usually produced a public consensus on even the most controversial issues. This was in keeping with the advice of George Washington, who, in his farewell address, urged his fellow countrymen to avoid the dangers of partisan hatred, fueled by political parties telling lies about each other. Whatever their passing disagreements, Washington said, Americans must remain "firmly bound together by fraternal affection." read more (PDF)