Today, we turn back the pages to the era of revolutions and explore the life of a man whose pen ignited the flame of liberty across continents. Thomas Paine, a name synonymous with the struggle for freedom and democratic ideals, was more than just a writer; he was a visionary whose words laid the groundwork for modern democracies. From the humble beginnings in England to the battlefields of the American Revolution, and onto the radical politics of the French Revolution, Paine’s journey is a testament to the power of ideas. So, sit back as we unfold the story of this influential figure, whose legacy continues to inspire the quest for liberty and justice around the world. This is “The Life of Paine.”



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DDH - The Life of Paine

After relocating to the PACNORWEST, Dave continues his look at the news, politics, trends, history, religion, sports and even entertainment of the day...

News

We have this… myth… in our heads. It’s born from a combination of Manifest Destiny and the desire to see ourselves in a certain light, but the truth is that the Constitution of the United States was highly radical, highly controversial and absolutely not universally proclaimed as the best way of governing ourselves in 1787.
Not only were there vicious and lengthy diatribes in newspapers and town meetings, even the conventions called in twelve of the States were divided and contentious. But one State in particular, held itself so against the Constitution and its ratification, that when a group of citizens gathered at a BBQ to celebrate the ratification of the Constitution by a neighboring State, it called out a brigade of militia troops to stop the celebration. At. Gun. Point.
The story of tiny Rhode Island’s road to ratification is both amusing and at the same time, a little unnerving. It’s not something that we today like to think about and we never talk about it. The idea that the smallest State in the Union could cause so much havoc and debate is a matter of history. One that we have, for the most part, forgotten.




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DDH - Rogue Island

Among the memories I have from my time in New London, CT, at US Navy Submarine School, is a few moments on a bright but very cold January afternoon, listening to an audio tape. The problem with such memories is that I remember the sounds more than I recall the technical details. We were told that this was a highly classified recording of the direct loss of USS Scorpion on May 22, 1968.
For all I know, it was a tape of a powered screwdriver spinning. I was very young and easily influenced, and the instructors were trying to impress upon us the dangers involved with what we were training to do. In the subsequent years, I have come to believe that no such tape actually existed, but on that day, it was a sobering reminder that the ocean – and everything in it (including the Soviets) was trying to kill me.
The year 1968 was a very bad year for submarines. The Soviets, the French, the Israelis and the United States all lost boats in those months. The French and Israeli boats would not be found for many years, and in both cases would be seen as accidents. Bu to this day, the Soviet K-129 and the American Scorpion are believed by many to have been pawns in the greater spy game that started with John Walker stealing the US operational codes, the North Koreans stealing the USS Pueblo to get the decoding machines and the alleged attempt by rogue units in the KGB to start a nuclear war between the United States and Communist China.
That tape we heard, was supposedly the end of the third act of that complex and frightening story…
NOTE: At no point in this discussion will CLASSIFIED materials be discussed. All information discussed is sourced to public domain material and all opinions are those of the host ONLY. The United States Navy has not reviewed or approved any materials discussed in this program and will not comment on the contents of this program. The program host acknowledges that he was exposed to some level of CLASSIFIED materials regarding the events discussed in this program, but that at no point will he discuss any materials which he knows to be CLASSIFIED. All opinions are his alone, and all materials are sourced from publicly available information found in open sources.




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DDH - Brandywine

Around three in the morning on May 13, 1862, the lookouts aboard a Union Naval vessel blockading Charleston Harbor was surprised to see a vessel bearing down upon his ship. Sounding the alarm, the gun ports were opened and all was brought to preparation to open fire. It was then that the lookout noticed that the ship approaching wasn’t coming on too fast and flying from it’s mast appeared to be a white… bed sheet?
When the vessel came up to the Union ship, it was clear that it intended to surrender. What became clear at that moment was the incredible man piloting the vessel was not your average Confederate looking to get away. It was a black man – in fact an escaped slave –  who had escaped, along with his entire crew, their families and this valuable vessel.
And that was really only the beginning of the story…




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DDH - You're Killing Me, Smalls!

Perhaps the most prescient act of the framers of the US Constitution was the establishment of an amendment process by which the document could be modified. Not in some instant, light and transient way, but with involvement of the peoples representatives, the States and the people themselves. It’s not easy to do, and, in fact, it should not be. As George Washington himself once said, any amendment can only be performed by an “authentic and explicit act” of the American people.
Twenty-seven times the constitution has been amended*. There remain countless other attempts which failed to pass Congress. Six further times amendments were proposed and passed by not ratified by the requisite number of States. Each and every time Congress gathers there are proposals and calls for amendments, most of which are little more than attention gimmicks, bound to go nowhere except a few interviews on media and garner campaign funding.
Why is it so difficult to get an amendment passed and ratified? Well… first off all, it should be difficult. We do not, by definition, change our government for “light and transient” reasons. Moreover, the incredible amount of “buy in” that has to be gained to pass an amendment requires that the amendment protect majoritarian rights.
Then there are questions about who exactly can and even should propose amendments.  Does the Court have any role in the matter? Are there any examples of all of this coming together in a concrete example of the system working as proposed?
Funny you should ask, as ton this day, May 7, 1992, that the 27th – and as of today the last – amendment to the Constitution was ratified. The surprising part is that it was among the first amendments ever proposed…












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DDH - That Pesky 2nd Amendment

Today, we embark on a journey back to the dawn of the American experiment. Our spotlight shines on the first presidential term of George Washington, a time when the nation’s destiny hung in the balance. On April 30, 1789, amidst the grandeur of Federal Hall in New York City, Washington stepped onto a second-floor balcony to take the oath of office. His inaugural address, delivered with humility and vision, set the tone for a young republic grappling with its identity, its Constitution, and the promise of liberty. Join us as we explore the echoes of that historic moment—the birth of a presidency, the forging of a nation, and the enduring legacy of George Washington’s words…



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DDH - The Life of Paine

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