A frequent recurrence to the fundamental principles of the Constitution, and a constant adherence to those of piety, justice, moderation, temperance, industry, and frugality, are absolutely necessary, to preserve the advantages of liberty, and to maintain a free government.

—Massachusetts Constitution of 1780

This week’s conversation offers up some new whisky choices while continuing with a consideration of an issue raised but not fully sorted out in last week’s Happy Hour with Glenn Ellmers and Jeremy Carl—namely, just how do we think, and communicate about, the distinction between equality as our founders (and Lincoln) understood it, and “equity,” which is the core principle of the left today.

In the spirit of the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 (and most other early republic charters), we attempt to recur to the understanding of equality in the Declaration of Independence, with some help from an expert witness named James Madison. But we wander all over the territory (and territories, as they still were in the 1850s), with excursions into the enduring lessons of Lincoln against Douglas, with sideways glances at Bill Gates and Michael Jordan (hey—we’re nothing if not versatile, especially on a Friday evening with whisky in hand), and settling on what we wish today’s conservative leaders would get straight in their head.

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