Topic: King George Iii

The hosts question the necessity of the massive Homeland Security apparatus given the relative rarity of major domestic terror events. They compare the door-to-door searches in Watertown to the actions of King George III, noting the irony of such events occurring in Boston, the birthplace of the American Revolution. They argue that the public has become conditioned to accept martial law.

A reading of the Declaration of Independence on the eve of July 4th prompts a comparison between colonial grievances and modern political issues such as taxation without representation and war without consent. Historical context is provided regarding King George III, suggesting he was quite young during the American Revolution and that his attempts to lower taxes while increasing collection enforcement contributed to colonial unrest. Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense" is credited with popularizing the namesake phrase.