re:  Obama is thinking in the Wilsonian tradition

Reading the quote from President Obama concerning his desire to implement  a "very elegant, academically approved approach to health care" without any "legislative fingerprints" or the need for "negotiations", I couldn't help but think of what Adam Smith had to say about that approach over 200 years ago in Theory of Moral Sentiments:  "The man of system ... is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamoured with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government, that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it. ... without any regard either to the great interests, or to the strong prejudices which may oppose it."

In the time since Adam Smith, the world has seen amazing progress.  Human nature, however, seems to remain the same.

Sincerely,
Dave Smith
Houston, TX