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"The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government." --Thomas Jefferson, letter to The Republican Citizens of Washington County, Maryland, 1809
Did he say it? Well in playing the context game, no he did not. (but please read the rest of my post before going postal)
Well Roy, the first issue is with the usage of "Republican Citizens" since at the time they were "Democratic-Republicans" aka Jeffersonian Republicans. The linage party today is the democrats. But he did use it in the letter, so it is. But it is not referring to those who are current republicans.
Next issue, is Jefferson didn't write in bullet points. And when one pulls a sentence out of his writings, the context of the letter is missing. Since this letter was about his retirement from public service, is it a statement that was intended to stand alone?
So did he write that (he didn't say it). Yes. But was it supposed to be a political calling card. No.
I'd venture that Jefferson would have taken great umbrage with today's military/industrial complex and the influence of big business over our government, both of which modern Republicans embrace and perpetuate.
CAVA, I think you're spot on, but I also think Jefferson would stroke out over the spending by both parties, the incessant questioning of Obama's religious views, and the reliance on foreign powers for everything from toothbrushes to fruit to oil. I'm not a Jeffersonian historian, but I doubt he'd like what he saw if he could suddenly come back to life.
CAVA, I think you're spot on, but I also think Jefferson would stroke out over the spending by both parties, the incessant questioning of Obama's religious views, and the reliance on foreign powers for everything from toothbrushes to fruit to oil. I'm not a Jeffersonian historian, but I doubt he'd like what he saw if he could suddenly come back to life.
I think that if Jefferson saw a black president he would drop over dead from the mere sight of him. And that is no compliment to Jefferson.
I'd venture that Jefferson would have taken great umbrage with today's military/industrial complex and the influence of big business over our government, both of which modern Republicans embrace and perpetuate.
thanks for finding that - all i could find was the image of the document, and that was hard to read.
CAVA, I think you're spot on, but I also think Jefferson would stroke out over the spending by both parties, the incessant questioning of Obama's religious views, and the reliance on foreign powers for everything from toothbrushes to fruit to oil. I'm not a Jeffersonian historian, but I doubt he'd like what he saw if he could suddenly come back to life.
On the flip side, I think the Founding Fathers would be amazed how this ragtag collection of states they cobbled together into a nation had become the most powerful on the planet and would be blown away at how revered they still are over 200 years later. However, I think Mr. Jefferson would be most ecstatic with what's become of the university he founded. Keep in mind, president of the United States is not among the accomplishments carved on his headstone at Monticello at his request. Father of the University, and Author of the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Statute for Religious Rreedom were his proudest achievements.
I get tired of Republican politicians who distort the Founders' philosophies to further their petty agendas. Mr. Jefferson's writings in their grimey hands is the proverbial pearls before swine.
You'd need the context. It could reflect very differently on his general philosophy, to know whether he was talking about war, or public assistance. Or abortion, or bailing out mortgage bankers. Or capital punishment or airport security or tariffs on Chinese-made goods. Without knowing that context, it would be irrelevant whether he said the words or not, and a gross miscarriage of history to apply them to any contemporary issue.
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