When it came to setting up our government, Thomas Jefferson had three concerns: tyranny of kings, tyranny of theocrats, and tyranny of the wealthy. For the time being we seem to be safe from kings and theocrats. We are not, however, safe from the super-rich.
Thomas Jefferson is believed to have said: "I believe the banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow 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."
The bankers and corporations have bought and paid for our politicians, both on the Left and the Right. That's why our elected representatives stand mute when it comes to defending the rights of working-class Americans.
It's time to heed Jefferson's words. It's time to fight back.
Editor's Note: The quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson has been found to be apocryphal and does not without a doubt come from him.
Does anyone know if Larry reads and answers any of the posts?
Why do Americans worship him as they do? Besides being a blatant racist, he had little direct role in the revolutionary period. Even the Declaration of Indepedence wasn't his work, beyond the stylization of the final writing...the concepts and even words came from others.
In any case, what you refer to isn't Jefferson's hostility to banking in the sense we think of it. Actually his view is similar to Ron Paul's, though probably more extreme. He hated the Bank of the US, and any other similar government-sponsored banking system. If we take Jefferson's advise, we have to abolish the fed, along with all other government intervention into the banking system. We also have to abolish the dollar and revert to some sort of gold standard backed by the states.
Jefferson certainly is in no way a model of what kind of country we want.
Jefferson actually has some in common with George W. Bush. Both managed to portay themselves as 'men of the people' even though they were certainly not. Both were bad managers as well. Despite owning slaves and being quite wealthy, Jefferson's estate owed $100,000 more than it was worth when he died (quite a bit of money back then). Both also caused large economic collapses at the end of their presidencies.
American politics since Andrew Jackson has been characterized by Hamiltonianism dressed up in the clothes of Jefferson. Americans love the idea of Jefferson, even though almost everyone is closer to Hamilton ideologically.
Or "...until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered"
1) term limits for any government office
2) pay caps/reductions for all government offices (this includes special privileges enjoyed by officials)
3) making lobbying illegal (aka: bribery)
4) campaign contribution overhaul
Those 4 things would take self-interest out of politics and our government. I believe in what Benjamin Franklin said, that no politician should be paid for their duties. It's a public SERVICE after all. Serve your country, not yourself.
I hope he will investigate these Watergate-type Plumbers who are infusing this corporate and FOREIGN money into our election process, Legislative Processes and the Supreme Court. He needs to investigate
Boehner and his trip to Wall St before the 2010 elections and what promises he made for money, the
activity of the head of the National Chamber of Commerce and his connection to the collection of foreign money and its insertion into our national elections; Karl Rove "the main Plumber" and the accidental open phone converstions that happened to Democrats during their campaign conversations. That smacked specifically of the wiring of the DNC headquarters back in the 70's; the connection between the visits of
Thomas and Scalia to the Florida seminars held by the Koch Brothers and most of all the gifts and payments made to the Thomas household and the decision the Supreme Court made in the FEC case.
I also feel a investigation into Roberts and Alito's personal connections with Corporations would not go
amiss.
I was overjoyed to see Larry's comments about the writing of Thomas Jefferson. I hope also that he will
read George Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States of America. Our First President left the nation a great legacy and we as Americans ought to read
it and heed his warnings.
We need you LAARRYYY!!!!! GO LARRY GO!!!!!