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I like George McJunkin. Born a slave, went to be a cowboy in New Mexico, autodidactic. Never clawed his way to a position of power, but just rode the range and observed and thought. Pointed out a connection that men of science had never noticed, which completely rewrote theories about the origin of native Americans.
Do you admire Hamilton for these and/or other reasons?
I detest Hamilton and only wish his demise would have come earlier. I charge him with destroying the vision of Jeffersonian Democracy in this nation. Hamilton had Washington's ear and steered the nation early on into mercantilism; I believe his true legacy is the disparity in the distribution of wealth you see today.
Quote:
Which other figures do you hold in high esteem?
Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Jackson.
Thomas Jefferson: "When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe."
Last edited by GhostOfAndrewJackson; 03-20-2019 at 10:23 PM..
For me it’s probably Dwight Eisenhower. Life of service to his country, possibly the best military leader this country has ever produced. Excellent President and a long-lasting legacy with the advent of the interstate road system and his defense of integration.
Thomas Jefferson: "When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe."
Here's the actual quote:
"I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they are chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, they will become corrupt as in Europe."
Of course, it is pure fiction to think that any modern state that isn't a third-world backwater should be 'chiefly agricultural' in nature, though this surely remains the fantasy of many Luddites and regressives. Jefferson was brilliant in some ways and clueless in others. His everlasting ideal of America as a nation of yeoman farmers belongs in the latter category.
Also, the idea that the American government was once a model of virtuousness is only so much vacuous worship of the past as fantasy and not reality.
"I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they are chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, they will become corrupt as in Europe."
Of course, it is pure fiction to think that any modern state that isn't a third-world backwater should be 'chiefly agricultural' in nature, though this surely remains the fantasy of many Luddites and regressives. Jefferson was brilliant in some ways and clueless in others. His everlasting ideal of America as a nation of yeoman farmers belongs in the latter category.
Also, the idea that the American government was once a model of virtuousness is only so much vacuous worship of the past as fantasy and not reality.
I think is an excellent assessment of Jefferson. He was a very gifted thinker and writer. However, some of his ideas were just pure rubbish.
I think our early nation was fortunate to have both the likes of Jefferson and Hamilton in high levels of government. They balanced each other out. Hamilton saw the role of government in developing industry and trade. Jefferson focused on the importance of individual and states rights and prevented the federal government from becoming all powerful. The result of their struggles was a nation with a functional government that was subjected to enough checks and balances that it did not destroy individual rights and liberties.
On the other hand, I find little good about Andrew Jackson. He was another one of a long list of slaveholders who was elected President of the United States. His ignoring the US Supreme Court in the Cherokee Indian case was literally impeachable, but he was too powerful to be impeached. The amount of abuse this man and others subjected Native Americans too is almost unimaginable. Jackson was a military man and his approach to almost any issue involved a whole lot of force with very little diplomacy. People who like Jackson tend to have a sort of fascist orientation in which they ignore groups like Indians and believe that the end justifies the means. He never believed in the equivalent of a central bank or federal reserve system and he stood by while the USA slid into its greatest recession up to that point--the Panic of 1837. His issuance of the Specie Circular which required payment of government debts in gold coin did much to bring about this economic collapse. I find little good in Jackson's presidency. His proponents often say things like "He supported the common man over privilege and aristocracy". I've never been able to figure out exactly what this means and how he did that.
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On the other hand, I find little good about Andrew Jackson.
Well there is that whole war of 1812 thing, which essentially is when the U.S. became a serous world power, until then it was more of an on-going experiment that many nations felt would fail at any point. Madison's presidency was in disarray of the war, there was pressure to make peace, suffer a loss of territory etc.
There is a reason so many families stopped the family naming traditions of the time and suddenly started naming their sons Andrew Jackson surname. He had a very profound effect on people and the nation that is hard to grasp from reading without context of the times.
Also of note, Jackson was a brilliant military strategist, it is especially notable given he had no military education.
For me it’s probably Dwight Eisenhower. Life of service to his country, possibly the best military leader this country has ever produced. Excellent President and a long-lasting legacy with the advent of the interstate road system and his defense of integration.
LOL. Years ago I was on a radio show discussion panel. The topic was, The Day the Constitution died. Each of us picked a President and an act that we feel signified when the government moved beyond the Constitution. I chose Eishenhower and the highway bill that you reference as the Day the Constitution died.
I believe his true legacy is the disparity in the distribution of wealth you see today.
I don't understand. You say that as if it were a bad thing.
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