Garrison Keillor’s "The Writers Almanac" radio program today featured this quote from our second president, John Adams:
"In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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35 Comments
This is what he did say,and applies very well today:
But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom,can never be restored.Liberty, once lost,is lost forever…..John Adams
Interesting . . . Tiaheartless is both a “shame” and a “congress.”
Adams and the rest would be disgusted to see that the Racial Republic that they bequeathed to us has devolved into a corrupt, shitty, zionist/corporate dominated, multiracial democracy!
V.L.R.B!!
Ian, maybe you could put John Adams down as one of your MySpace friends.
I do not know but I doubt liberals would like what John Adams had to say about America today. Liberals can fantasize all they want but they are delusional if they believe the founding fathers would be more in their camp than aligned with conservatives.
And we know that because . . . well because . . . just BECAUSE okay.
Evidence? We don’ need no steekin’ evidence . . .
DJ you are correct. John Adams would not be a Democrat as John Adams stood against special interest politics the very mothers milk of the modern Democrat machine.
CapnAmerica, you are exactly right!
Oh wait, I AM CapnAmerica . . . just doing what Thom Jeff is doing with his alter ego, dj, which stands for “dumb jerk” apparently.
Actually, the founders would be appalled at the way the neo-Puritans have foisted their pseudo-religiousity on to the political stage, they would be horrified at the executive has pre-empted powers unto itself, they would be dismayed by the rubber-stamp Congress, and scandalized by the debt this administration has run up.
They’d be outraged at the violation of habeus corpus and search-and-seizure inherent in the Bill of Rights.
They’d also be ready to overthrow the new monarchy that goes to war to “preempt” war.
Other than that, they’d be Republicans.
I like Garrison Keilor
I like John Adams. That is a good quote from John Adams.
But….
Does this rise to the level of devoting a thread to????
Phil I got a better thread topic for you. It’s called: Here is why we endorsed Todd Tiahrt even though Tiahrt will not debate his democratic challenger Garth McGinn. You can shorten that to:Here is why the Eagle is still credible.
I agree Thomas, John would not have been Democrat. I just recieved an instant message from Benjamin Franklin and he agrees none of the founding fathers would have been a Democrat. If we had been Democrats the country would never have been founded as we would all have spent our time argueing about tax increases and we would all most likely have been hanged.
Isn’t it pathetically sad when conservatives TRY to be creative: (~
He’s got creative spelling.
Other than that, he better leave the jokes to that hilariously funny Rush Limbaugh.
Did you hear the one about Michael J. Fox? Had me in stitches, I tell you what!
BTW, Thomas Jefferson?
I guess you forgot that you were in the party that broke away from John Adams to oppose him.
Yep, looks like history isn’t his strong suit either.
TJ, HERE’S WHAT YOU SAID ALSO:(sounds like the dems view to me)
Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear…..Thomas Jefferson
What say ye, oh troll of many names?
Does not matter what disagreements we had. Fact remains the modern Democrat party would have been abhorred by all of us, the founding fathers that is.
George Washington, you weighed in with democratic values also:
Our cause is noble;it is the cause of mankind!….George Washington
That’s what I thought there TJ.You don’t have a damned thing positive to say about repugnicans do ya?All ya’ got is we hate dems.Lame.Lame.
so how many of our founding fathers had gay@democrat.gay as their email addresses?
You are hysterical pretending the founding fathers would have anything to do with your side. Their whole platform was everything the democratic party stands for. They hated the right wingnuts back then enough to actually start a war against them too. What was that first Amendment again? Can you find Jesus in our Constitution?
Thanks, PMom.
If the founders came back, they’d dump Wal-Mart’s plastic crap into Boston Harbor.
Back to the original comment in this thread: Five useless men sounds like our current county commissioners.
You are so smart political mom. Most libs aren’t as clever as you. You figured out probably from reading the history books in government schools that the founding fathers were all for diversity and special rights for homosexuals. You have me on that one p.m. your side is lucky to have someone as knowledgeable about history as yourself.
Times and values were so different back in the the early days of our country.
I can’t imagine any current place in the country where Adams would feel comfortable.
Ben Franklin, on the other hand, would be like a kid in a toy store. No doubt he would deal out some scoldings to all political parties in our system and moved to a Mediterranean resort village where he could publish an Internet blog website.
I bet if the founding fathers could have foreseen what America would become today, they would have just stayed a colony of Britain!
Cap’n,”If the founders came back, they’d dump Wal-Mart’s plastic crap into Boston Harbor.”I hope not- their tea was biodegradable; the plastic crap from Wal-Mart would have to be cleaned up at a cost of millions!
Y’know, the right-wing extemists used to be referred to as Tories. We need to give them the same treatment our founding fathers gave them- tar, feathers, and a fast ride elsewhere!
Hypothetical musings about dropping the fouding fathers in present day America are interesting but not really very …..useful. (Couldn’t think of a better word)
America and the world have changed so dramatically in 230 years that even with a scientist like Ben Franklin, the culture shock would be so severe that the displaced founder would think they had gone insane. Though I agree with JM that Franklin would be ok after some gentle coaching.I’m not talking politics here. I’m talking technology and surroundings. I think if you took a colonial and placed them in the 21st century the very last thing they would care about is politics.
THE SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG
It is said that Iraq is the number one issue of this election and some are taking the position of “There is not use in crying over spilled milk”. That what is done is done and it would be of no use now to hold those responsible to a count. Iraq is Iraq and will not change whether we stay ten years or pull out tomorrow.The damage is done both to Iraq and to the United States, we will have to just hang in and work for the best on both countries.
But there are just something’s that should not be overlooked or dismissed as it can not be charged.Such is how we end up in Iraq, What went wrong and who if anyone knew that the reality was not what the case was. When the Intel did not match what the Administration wanted, the Administration made their own intelligence agencies and special groups to support their opinion. When the reality came to the forefront, it is cloaked as political spin.
Would holding the Administration a countable for this mess change the outcome of Iraq or the fight against terrorism? As is said what is done is done, except for one thing the sense of right and wrong. If in deed this Administration did mislead the country, if by their actions of wanton desire to overthrow Saddam they sidelines the reaction to the real threats. To simply dismiss it as “Oh well” to me is the same as saying that you should do nothing about someone killing your child. In this case to betray all that has made this country great. There are those that have committed the great wrongs against this country since Benedict Arnold betray this young nation. Yet to simply say that to hold them accountable would cause a farther split within the nation. So we should not look back and instead let it fester within the soul of the country, let it lie and look only to the future. Again would we take such a stance if it were difficult seeking justice for the one that murdered out child. Allow the guilty to go free, because it would be painful to endure reliving the crime till justice was served.
To those that think a change of majority in the house will bring about the answer. Know this, Nancy Polocy said to be the new majority leader has said that there would be not impeachment for crimes committed against this country? So what is served then if the hope of the wronged said that there will be not justice served, no accounting for this wrong. No righting this wrong committed against our people, this Government, this country!
That’s why both parties stink like shit. It always puts a smile on my face everytime the Democrat front-runners try to make themselves out to be some sort of deus ex machina.
Capn…about your October 30 post the Eagle was perfectly clear that the reason they chose Tiahrt over McGinn had nothing to do with the fact that Tiahrt won’t debate McGinn. They clearly said it was because of the committees Tiahrt serves on and the federal dollars he brings to his voters. Wait…didn’t Glickman serve on a bunch of committees too? Didn’t he bring a bunch of pork our way too? Hmmm…I’m beginning to think that anyone who represents district four would do that.
Writerdog,
I wouldn’t count Pelosi out yet because of that comment. It could be the Dems are laying low until they have their feet in the door and their butts in the chairs in congress.
I’m sure if there’s enough hue and cry by everyone else that something must be done, I suspect she might capitulate and do it. ;) Why tip their hands now?
Onn impeachment, it’s not going to be feasible, because even if the House were to impeach, the Senate wouldn’t convict, and it would thus waste time and energy. The Dems have to work on substantive issues to build credibility for the next election cycle. I suspect we’ll see some House investigations though.
On WE’s endorsement of Tiahrt, if the Dems take the house, Tiahrt may not be able to do much for Wichita as a minority member on committees. The editorial board’s calculus may be faulty. We’ll find out shortly.
As much as I’d like to see this Administration get their just desserts, I’d much rather see this country turn in a better direction.
However, it might be wise if those in this Administration don’t venture too far from U.S. soil. We might ignore atrocities performed and the twisting of “facts,” but other countries might not be as willing to do so.
I don’t discount or count on impeachment proceedings. I only count on my fingers and toes. ;)
I think John Adams must have had premonitions of George W when he said this.
There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty…..John Adams
John Adams was an eloquent opponent of tyranny during the Revolution, but when he became President, he found it convenient to become a tyrant himself:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Alien.html
People were harrassed, beaten up, fined and jailed for daring to speak out.
The Jeffersonian Democrats cried foul, and cleaned house in the next election (cost him his friendship with Thomas J., too).