What if the Founding Fathers had decided to take Barack Obama’s approach to liberty, as demonstrated through his support of the FISA Amendments Act? What if they sought to compromise their freedom with King George, as Barack Obama has done with George W. Bush? Here’s how things might have been different:

Patrick Henry:
“Give me liberty, or give me compromise!”

John Paul Jones:
“I have not yet begun to compromise.”

Thomas Paine:
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, compromise. I promise to review the British rule over America after I am elected, and have my Attorney General issue recommendations.”

Benjamin Franklin:
“We must all hang together, per se.”

Benjamin Franklin:
“”They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, will pick up swing voters and get elected.”

Nathan Hale:
“I only regret that I have but one chance to compromise my liberty.”

Thomas Paine:
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, let someone else defend them.”

Israel Putnam:
“Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes! Then shoot at the ground!”

George Washington:
“Remember officers and Soldiers, that you are free men, fighting for the blessings of Liberty - that slavery will be your portion, and that of your posterity, if you do not acquit yourselves like men. Slavery isn’t all bad, though, if you think about it.”

George Washington:
“The Eyes of all our Countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings, and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the Tyranny mediated against them. Let us therefore give King George whatever he wants.”

Thomas Jefferson:
“When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, well, what are you going to do about it?”

Jonathan Mayhew:
“No taxation without representation… is an extremist position. We’ll move to the center, and support taxation without representation, but with a court that can observe our money going on the ships back to England.”