Thomas Jefferson on happines vs the nanny state.

[LovingKayla]

I'd stand with this guy. Most of you Democrats would laugh at him today.





Thomas Jefferson


This is amazing. There are two parts. Be sure to read the 2nd part (in RED).

Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped.

At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor.

At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French.

At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages.

At 16, entered the College of William and Mary.

At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe.

At 23, started his own law practice.

At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

At 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British America and retired from his law practice.

At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.

At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence .

At 33, took three years to revise Virginia 's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom.

At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia , succeeding Patrick Henry.

At 40, served in Congress for two years.

At 41, was the American minister to France , and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.

At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.

At 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society.

At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions, and became the active head of Republican Party.

At 57, was elected the third president of the United States .

At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase , doubling the nation's size.

At 61, was elected to a second term as President.

At 65, retired to Monticello .

At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.

At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia , and served as its first president.

At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, along with John Adams

Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, his laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today. Jefferson really knew his stuff. A voice from the past to lead us in the future:

John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe ." -- Thomas Jefferson

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." -- Thomas Jefferson

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." -- Thomas Jefferson

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- Thomas Jefferson

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."

-- Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.

If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

[joe bloe]

Great post! Jefferson gets my vote for being the greatest of the founders. It's amazing, that the power of his words doesn't diminish over time; they're just as true today and just as important. We need someone of Jefferson's caliber to lead us out the mess we've gotten ourselves into. I don't know if we're producing great men like Jefferson anymore. I'm not sure if a person of Jefferson's quality could survice in our toxic culture.

America's greatness is directly attributable to the foundation built by the founders. Great men like Jefferson, Washington and Franklin insured that America was put on the right path of freedom and justice. The founders were the best men of their day. Today, most of our leaders are the dregs of society, motivated by greed and a twisted sense of right and wrong. Just as the greatness of the founders insured our success, the corruption of today's leaders will guarantee our failure.

[CuteOldGuy]

Ah, he's just one of those brainless freedom lovers. Probably thought the Constitution was important, too. Nutcase.

Everyone knows Obama is the smartest person who ever lived. Too bad he wasn't around when the country was founded. We wouldn't have to put up with all this freedom and liberty bullshit. He could have run everything for us, and we'd all be equal and happy.

[tttalinky]

Very informative.......makes you think which way the country is heading!

My vote is for you Kayla, smart and cute!

[joe bloe]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Ah, he's just one of those brainless freedom lovers. Probably thought the Constitution was important, too. Nutcase.

Everyone knows Obama is the smartest person who ever lived. Too bad he wasn't around when the country was founded. We wouldn't have to put up with all this freedom and liberty bullshit. He could have run everything for us, and we'd all be equal and happy.

If Jefferson was alive today, does anyone think that he would be a liberal Democrat? If they were alive today, I don't think any of the founders would be liberals, not one.

Jefferson would probably be reminding us about the importance of refreshing the tree of liberty.

[CuteOldGuy]

+1!! for Kayla!

[trynagetlaid]

Where was Thomas Jefferson when the plantation owners started bringing in all the slave ships? If I'm not mistaken he was a few years in his grave about the time the first ones came over. If only he had lived a few more years...

[Whirlaway]

It's amazing that many Modern Day Progressives are (wrongly) laying claim to Jefferson as their founder - calling him the 1st American Professive for agarian America. I think they are doing so in a desperate attempt to legitmize their unconstitutional concept of the role of government; as well as provide a level of patriotic cover for their left wing socialist viewpoints.

http://www.americanprogress.org/issu...aditions1.html

[ElisabethWhispers]

Why would a Democrat dislike Thomas Jefferson? For the record, I'm a huge fan of Ben Franklin. He would be at one of my "fantasy" dinners along with a few others.

Good topic, though!

Big hugs from Birmingham,
Elisabeth

[joe bloe]

Originally Posted by trynagetlaid

Where was Thomas Jefferson when the plantation owners started bringing in all the slave ships? If I'm not mistaken he was a few years in his grave about the time the first ones came over. If only he had lived a few more years...

From Wikipedia:

Thomas Jefferson an advocate of liberty and equality among men, lived in a slave society;[1] he owned plantations totaling thousands of acres and inherited hundreds of slaves during his lifetime. As a slaveholder he was part of the ruling class, and Jefferson also made profoundly significant contributions to the rise of anti-slavery constitutionalism in the United States.

In the Virginia Assembly, in the 1780s Jefferson supported a bill to prohibit the state from importing slaves. In the 1784 Congress, Jefferson proposed federal legislation banning slavery in the New Territories of the Northwest, but it was not passed.[4] In 1804 as president, he refused to recognize Haiti, a new republic established by a slave rebellion, and in 1805 and 1806 enacted an arms and trade embargo against them. In 1807 he signed a bill prohibiting the US from participating in the international slave trade; it had been protected from federal regulation for 20 years under compromises of the United States Constitution.[5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_...on_and_slavery

[trynagetlaid]

Originally Posted by joe bloe

Do you realize that Jefferson owned slaves?

Yeah I saw the movie with Nick Nolte. He fell in love with one in Paris and brought her back in the late 1700's. But I don't think he was alive when most of the slave ships sailed. If he was then he missed the boat (no pun intended)...

[tttalinky]

It is amazing that one of our greatest founding fathers warned us over 210 years ago what could (and is) destroying our great country. I don't believe Jefferson was speaking from a Democratic or Republican stand-point. Jefferson was speaking from his heart and good common sense. Everyone can agree or disagree with him, but one thing is for sure.....Jefferson accurately predicted what too much government and too much fat would do to "any" nation. My guess is Washington, Adams and Jefferson would turn over in their graves if they could see how intrusive their government has become in our daily lives, in only two centuries.

[joe bloe]

Originally Posted by tttalinky

It is amazing that one of our greatest founding fathers warned us over 210 years ago what could (and is) destroying our great country. I don't believe Jefferson was speaking from a Democratic or Republican stand-point. Jefferson was speaking from his heart and good common sense. Everyone can agree or disagree with him, but one thing is for sure.....Jefferson accurately predicted what too much government and too much fat would do to "any" nation. My guess is Washington, Adams and Jefferson would turn over in their graves if they could see how intrusive their government has become in our daily lives, in only two centuries.

If too much government is problem, and I believe it is, and assuming you have to choose between voting Republican or Democrat, what party do you choose? As imperfect as the Republicans are, they certainly are the lesser of two evils, concerning government growth.

If Jefferson and the founders were alive today, they sure as Hell would not be supporting Obama and the Democrat party. They might be Republicans or Libertarians, maybe even revolutionaries, but absolutely not Democrats.

[tttalinky]

Originally Posted by joe bloe

If too much government is problem, and I believe it is, and assuming you have to choose between voting Republican or Democrat, what party do you choose? As imperfect as the Republicans are, they certainly are the lesser of two evils, concerning government growth.

If Jefferson and the founders were alive today, they sure as Hell would not be supporting Obama and the Democrat party. They might be Republicans or Libertarians, maybe even revolutionaries, but absolutely not Democrats.

I'm a Republican.......Obama and the present day Democratic Party are the worst things to happen to America since the Civil War, prohibition, the start of income tax and "so called Social Security".

[joe bloe]

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

Why would a Democrat dislike Thomas Jefferson? For the record, I'm a huge fan of Ben Franklin. He would be at one of my "fantasy" dinners along with a few others.

Good topic, though!

Big hugs from Birmingham,
Elisabeth

The Democrats would dislike Thomas Jefferson because the modern day Democrat party is completely opposed to everything Jefferson believed in. Did you read Kayla's post?

I share your admiration for Franklin. Not only was he a wise and great man, he was also a party animal from what I've read. Of all the founders, Franklin probably would have been the most fun to hang out with.