THOMAS JEFFERSON

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[dvan]

THOMAS JEFFERSON

At 5, began studying under his cousins 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 Democratic-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 .

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.

I wish we could get this out to everyone!!!

[dvan]

Do we have anyone standing by with even a portion of these qualifications?

[WayneS]

Well, maybe one. I heard a rumor (unsubstantiated, mind you) that John McCain died on the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

[shotdog]

Mrs. Dog and I have just returned from a visit to the great man’s Monticello. We read about him and his accomplishments, but until you have seen his handiwork, it’s hard to envision the scope of the plantation and his very considerable accomplishments. Very humbling. What does it say about our current state of education?
It is ironic that he and his friend John Adams died on the same July 4th, hours apart in death. sd

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Don’t forget though: He founded the Democrat party which is akin to founding NAMBLA. What does this prove? Excessive education cannot cure insanity.

[frog in a pot]

Thank you for this interesting example of the caliber of folks that founded our nation.

As to your question, there is only one that comes close, and most rational people know who that is as he is in most of teh current headlines. Hopefully, we will select wisely, this may be our nation’s moment of greatest need.

[cowtowney]

“Don’t forget though: He founded the Democrat party”

Do you really think the party that he founded was similar to today’s Democratic Party?

[Political Junkie Too]

Jefferson also liked to live lavishly, and died deeply in personal debt.

-PJ

[Luther1917]

The Democratic-Republican Party of Jefferson had nothing at all in common with today’s leftist democratic party. They believed in States rights and individual rights and disdained a large Federal government. The Federalist Party was the party of big government. Alexander Hamilton the principle Founder. The democratic party owes it’s big government, big brother principles to the Federalist Party.
If Jefferson were alive today he would probably belong to the Libertarian Party, but of the two major parties, he would certainly have more in common with republicans and nothing at all in common with the radical socialist democrats.