 reason and sense of justice. So we need government in order to protect our rights against those who would take them away. But for the same reason, Madison writes, government must be limited, because people in government have passions and interests too. Many Americans today forget this, supposing that we can do away with constitutional limits on government, supposing that the unelected bureaucrats being put in charge of our health care, for example, will rule as if they are angels. If Madison was correct about human nature, this is foolish and dangerous.