An interesting article about Thomas Jefferson.

[Grumps 3,706]

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Jefferson still shows the way

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April 14, 2010 7:55 AM

DAILY NEWS STAFF

A“LITTLE rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical,” is one of the better-known quotes of Thomas Jefferson.

It’s not hard to imagine which side he would take in today’s battles over the increased centralization of power in government.

The 267th birthday of Jefferson — principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president — was Tuesday. Were he alive today, would Jefferson be objecting to President Barack Obama’s health care bill, stimulus programs and increased spending and debt?

“Yes,” according to Jack Pitney, professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College. “Jefferson was deeply suspicious of the centralization of power….”

Jefferson is also relevant on another controversy: nullification, in which states say they won’t follow federal laws. Although sometimes identified solely with the antebellum South, nullification also was practiced by Northern states objecting to the U.S. government using fugitive slave laws to capture slaves.

In 1798, during the administration of President John Adams, Jefferson took the lead in opposing the new Alien and Sedition Acts, which made illegal criticism of the federal government. Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolutions, which stipulated, “(B)ut, where powers are assumed (by the federal government) which have not been delegated (by the Constitution), a nullification of the act is the rightful remedy: that every State has a natural right in cases not within the compact … to nullify of their own authority all assumptions of power by others within their limits.”

Jefferson “believed that as soon as government went beyond the delegated powers listed in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, government would essentially become a vehicle for legalized plunder,” observed Thomas DiLorenzo, author of “Hamilton’s Curse,” a book critical of Jefferson’s arch-nemesis, Alexander Hamilton.

Jefferson, DiLorenzo added, “was the founding father of the states’ rights philosophies of nullification and secession as remedies to tyrannical government.” And, he said, Jefferson “opposed Hamilton’s Bank of the United States and corporate welfare.” So it’s not hard to see what position Jefferson would take in the ongoing federal bailouts of large banks.

Jefferson would have collapsed if someone would have told him that the federal government he headed from 1801-09 would, by 2010, have run up a current national debt, according to the National Debt Clock, of $12,797,152,120,610.24.

Our wise founder warned, “Loading up the nation with debt and leaving it for the following generations to pay is morally irresponsible. Excessive debt is a means by which governments oppress the people and waste their substance.”

But, despite our departures from Jefferson’s counsel, we have his wisdom to guide America back to fiscal and political health. As he showed during the bloody years of the Revolution and the difficult years that followed, it just takes his immortal principles of liberty — and the bravery to fight for them.

I wish Jefferson were here now to talk some sense into the country.

[TexasTiger 13,556]

My link

Jefferson still shows the way

Comments 0 | Recommend 1

April 14, 2010 7:55 AM

DAILY NEWS STAFF

A“LITTLE rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical,” is one of the better-known quotes of Thomas Jefferson.

It’s not hard to imagine which side he would take in today’s battles over the increased centralization of power in government.

The 267th birthday of Jefferson — principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president — was Tuesday. Were he alive today, would Jefferson be objecting to President Barack Obama’s health care bill, stimulus programs and increased spending and debt?

“Yes,” according to Jack Pitney, professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College. “Jefferson was deeply suspicious of the centralization of power….”

Jefferson is also relevant on another controversy: nullification, in which states say they won’t follow federal laws. Although sometimes identified solely with the antebellum South, nullification also was practiced by Northern states objecting to the U.S. government using fugitive slave laws to capture slaves.

In 1798, during the administration of President John Adams, Jefferson took the lead in opposing the new Alien and Sedition Acts, which made illegal criticism of the federal government. Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolutions, which stipulated, “(B)ut, where powers are assumed (by the federal government) which have not been delegated (by the Constitution), a nullification of the act is the rightful remedy: that every State has a natural right in cases not within the compact … to nullify of their own authority all assumptions of power by others within their limits.”

Jefferson “believed that as soon as government went beyond the delegated powers listed in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, government would essentially become a vehicle for legalized plunder,” observed Thomas DiLorenzo, author of “Hamilton’s Curse,” a book critical of Jefferson’s arch-nemesis, Alexander Hamilton.

Jefferson, DiLorenzo added, “was the founding father of the states’ rights philosophies of nullification and secession as remedies to tyrannical government.” And, he said, Jefferson “opposed Hamilton’s Bank of the United States and corporate welfare.” So it’s not hard to see what position Jefferson would take in the ongoing federal bailouts of large banks.

Jefferson would have collapsed if someone would have told him that the federal government he headed from 1801-09 would, by 2010, have run up a current national debt, according to the National Debt Clock, of $12,797,152,120,610.24.

Our wise founder warned, “Loading up the nation with debt and leaving it for the following generations to pay is morally irresponsible. Excessive debt is a means by which governments oppress the people and waste their substance.”

But, despite our departures from Jefferson’s counsel, we have his wisdom to guide America back to fiscal and political health. As he showed during the bloody years of the Revolution and the difficult years that followed, it just takes his immortal principles of liberty — and the bravery to fight for them.

I wish Jefferson were here now to talk some sense into the country.

How come no one evoked Jefferson when the debt was at 11 trillion?

[Grumps 3,706]

Please explain.

[Tigermike 3,425]

How come no one evoked Jefferson when the debt was at 11 trillion?

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

[TexasTiger 13,556]

How come no one evoked Jefferson when the debt was at 11 trillion?

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

Well, let's see-- Reagan kicked it off in a big way-- and he's your favorite-- it continued under Bush the elder, abated under Clinton, picked back up at warp speed under W and has continued due to the Bush recession. Got that?

[Tigermike 3,425]

How come no one evoked Jefferson when the debt was at 11 trillion?

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

Well, let's see-- Reagan kicked it off in a big way-- and he's your favorite-- it continued under Bush the elder, abated under Clinton, picked back up at warp speed under W and has continued due to the Bush recession. Got that?

So you absolve the dem congress and the Obama administration of any blame in this. Strange.

Is that from the dim memo? Continue to blame Bush. I hope you guys use that in the up coming election.

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

[TitanTiger 20,708]

How come no one evoked Jefferson when the debt was at 11 trillion?

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

Well, let's see-- Reagan kicked it off in a big way-- and he's your favorite-- it continued under Bush the elder, abated under Clinton, picked back up at warp speed under W and has continued due to the Bush recession , an unnecessary war and profligate spending by the current administration and the Democratic-controlled Congress. Got that?

Edited for accuracy.

[TexasTiger 13,556]

How come no one evoked Jefferson when the debt was at 11 trillion?

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

Well, let's see-- Reagan kicked it off in a big way-- and he's your favorite-- it continued under Bush the elder, abated under Clinton, picked back up at warp speed under W and has continued due to the Bush recession. Got that?

So you absolve the dem congress and the Obama administration of any blame in this. Strange.

Is that from the dim memo? Continue to blame Bush. I hope you guys use that in the up coming election.

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

The biggest reasons for the current deficit are 1) much lower tax revenues due to the recession; 2) stimulus/bailout to avoid another depression; 3) fighting two wars. The bailout was bi-partisan, meaning Bush and Dems helped to avert a great depression-- there you have it, credit for GWB. In the next few years there have to be very hard choices made. I'm guessing Republicans won't be prepared to do that-- and they may control the House by then. I hope I'm wrong.

[Grumps 3,706]

How come no one evoked Jefferson when the debt was at 11 trillion?

What is the debt now?

In what direction is the debt heading?

Well, let's see-- Reagan kicked it off in a big way-- and he's your favorite-- it continued under Bush the elder, abated under Clinton, picked back up at warp speed under W and has continued due to the Bush recession. Got that?

So, are you in favor of bigger government and less states' rights?

[arnaldoabru 11]

They don't like Thomas Jefferson in Texas.

[AURaptor 1,137]

Well, let's see-- Reagan kicked it off in a big way-- and he's your favorite-- it continued under Bush the elder, abated under Clinton, picked back up at warp speed under W and has continued due to the Bush recession. Got that?

Reagan grew the economy and lowered the unemployment rate, just as W did for 6 years of his 2 terms. But that's not the issue here. You continue to skirt the issue by ignoring the fact that Obama has double digit unemployment, and is doing absolutely nothing to lower the debt. In fact, he's PILING IT ON, like no other President in history!

So drop the " But Reagan! ....but Bush!.... " crap. and deal w/ the issue at hand.

TARP was Bush's, but the Stimulus Bill, Cash for Klunkers, the continued 2 wars , Gov't take over of H.C. ...all under Obama. Sorry, but the majority of the debt is not W's fault. Not even close.

[TexasTiger 13,556]

Well, let's see-- Reagan kicked it off in a big way-- and he's your favorite-- it continued under Bush the elder, abated under Clinton, picked back up at warp speed under W and has continued due to the Bush recession. Got that?

Reagan grew the economy and lowered the unemployment rate, just as W did for 6 years of his 2 terms. But that's not the issue here. You continue to skirt the issue by ignoring the fact that Obama has double digit unemployment, and is doing absolutely nothing to lower the debt. In fact, he's PILING IT ON, like no other President in history!

So drop the " But Reagan! ....but Bush!.... " crap. and deal w/ the issue at hand.

TARP was Bush's, but the Stimulus Bill, Cash for Klunkers, the continued 2 wars , Gov't take over of H.C. ...all under Obama. Sorry, but the majority of the debt is not W's fault. Not even close.

So Obama is responsible for continuing 2 wars? W is off the hook just like that? Really?

BTW, if Reagan tried to run on his record, you'd call him a RINO. And unemployment is 9.7%. Maybe your confusing him with the 10.8% of Reagan's first two years. Or, you don't know what double digit means.

[AURaptor 1,137]

So Obama is responsible for continuing 2 wars? W is off the hook just like that? Really?

BTW, if Reagan tried to run on his record, you'd call him a RINO. And unemployment is 9.7%. Maybe your confusing him with the 10.8% of Reagan's first two years. Or, you don't know what double digit means.

That's about the weakest defense for Obama I think I've ever seen.