The More Things Stay the Same
I’m reading Harlow Giles Unger’s excellent biography of John Quincy Adams. Unger rates up there with David McCullough in his ability to bring history to life.
When James Monroe announced his intention of retiring after his second term as president, it served as the starting gun for many serving in his Cabinet.
“With the exception of [Secretary of State] John Quincy, cabinet members all but renounced their oaths of office and personal pledges to the President and launched a bitter struggle for political power the left the President impotent…” (page 221)
Treasury Secretary William Crawford called Monroe an “infernal scoundrel” and raised his cane as if to assault the president. Monroe grabbed fire tongs to defend himself, and told Crawford to leave.
Andrew Jackson used his popularity as the winning general in the Louisiana and Florida campaigns to build his own power base. By violating the outgoing Spanish governor’s diplomatic immunity and arresting him, Jackson embarrassed the administration during the sensitive turnover of Florida to the U.S.
“Jackson resigned in a rage, went home to Tennessee, won election as senator, and returned to Washington to wreak havoc on his political enemies.” (page 221)
“As cabinet members and other presidential aspirants turned on the President or on each other, the vicious rhetoric created political schisms in Congress not seen since the days of the Confederation of American States.” (pages 221-2)
Infighting in Washington D.C. may be a good thing, focusing power-mad mini-tyrants’ energies on each other rather than working together to pass more bailouts and debt ceiling increases that sell out the People. In any case, we can find comfort in knowing that prostiticians always return to their natural inclinations. Being able to predict an attacker’s behavior makes it easier to devise winning defensive tactics.
Thus we know beyond a shadow of doubt that Dianne Feinstein’s theatrical production of introducing a new “assault weapons” ban is nothing but a sham. We know beyond any doubt that any protestations by Feinstein and her ilk that banning guns create a safer society is a lie.
History: Study it, or repeat it. Your choice.
“Government has always been, and will always be, corrupt.”
Government is like honey to criminals. If you are inclined to be a thief, and you are a gifted liar, why take the risk of armed robbery, when the rewards of a politician are far greater than any common thief can possibly acquire. If you are a good enough liar, you will be exalted for actions that in any other venue, would get you thrown in jail. There are a thousand politicians in this county, at least, who live better than Steve Jobs, the greatest capitalist of the last hundred years, and a man largely responsible for yanking the planet into an age where the poorest individual has access to more information that the wealthiest individual 40 years ago. Jobs and others like him did more good for humanity before breakfast on a slow day than 99.999% of the politicians in Washington have done in their lives (not even balancing it with the evil they have done).
That doesn’t mean that they are all criminals, just the vast majority.
“Government has always been, and will always be, corrupt.”
So . . .
George Washington was a corrupt dictator, barely constrained by the equally corrupt anarchist terrorist Thomas Jefferson?
The committee that produced the Constitution was corrupt, and by implication so was the document they created?
The Continental Congress that declared independence and authorized the Articles of Confederation acted purely for their own corrupt aggrandizement, with no true concern for the legitimate needs of the American people?
Straw Man. Generally, the “straw man” fallacy exaggerates the opposing argument, makes it so outrageous that it’s easy to demolish.
I pointed out government. You pointed out exceptions like George Washington. According to your logic, we should remain asleep and let government do what it’s doing, because sometimes some people did the right thing.
What part, of a three part series, doesn’t the RNC/GOP understand WE The People ascribe to them? The three part series outlined:
1) Greed
2) Power
3) Corruption
4) corollary: We The Elite People of culture of corruption in ALL of Washington DC.
Please, kindly explain to We The People of the “great unwashed USofA” how this RNC/GOP tiger is going to change its stripes??? We The People are painfully, paciently awaiting this momentous about face renunciation any time soon…. crickets!!!!
John Boehner said it all…”You’re Fired!” to Constitutional Conservatives. Align yourselves with the “Haves,” not with the “Have Nots”, his message in congress (who, by the way voted themselves a paltry $174,000/year salary).
Tea Party GoPacs, fundraisers, grass root organizing, create the Ross Perot idea but with conviction, energy and a “Git-R-Done” committment. Its the only way to trounce Washington DC’s “growing Democratic Socialists of America congressional caucus” and all its moles, minions, led by non other than Bill Ayers, Cass Sustein, Van Jones, Francis Fox Piven a nd all their Progressive New Left Activists having the ACLU as their standard bearer destroying everything American, constitutional and capitalistic. Pray. Amen. RNC/GOP a waste of time, money and effort. Teavangelicas and Tea Party…profess the”Don’t Tread on Me”mantra
Here’s how I figure it will all turn out.
The RNC and national GOP is one big false flag operation. That’s what they’ve been at least since Reagan left office.
On the other side of the aisle, this is how corrupt Hillary is.