Posted on 11/28/2013 2:52:40 PM PST by Kaslin
The principles America was founded on have paved the way for the freedoms and privileges each citizen is thankful for today. At the heart of conservatism, is the recognition that many of these founding ideals are worth fighting to preserve.
In the words of John Quincy Adams: "Posterity--you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."
So in the spirit of preserving today’s blessings for tomorrow’s Americans, let’s take a look at ten things the Founding Fathers would be fighting against in the 21st century.
1. President Obama’s Power Grabs
“The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.” - Thomas Jefferson
2. Increased Taxation
The apportionment of taxes on the various descriptions of property is an act which seems to require the most exact impartiality; yet there is, perhaps, no legislative act in which greater opportunity and temptation are given to a predominant party to trample on the rules of justice. — James Madison
3. Adult Children
Congratulations, 26-year-olds today can now stay on their parents health insurance and prolong adolescence. By the age of 26, George Washington had already worked as an official surveyor for Virginia, fought in the French and Indian War and climbed to the rank of Colonel.
4. Breakdown of the Family
Marriage is an institution, which may properly be deemed to arise from the law of nature.…It distributes the whole of society into families, and creates a permanent union of interests, and a mutual guardianship of the same. It binds children by indissoluble ties, and adds new securities to the good order of society, by connecting the happiness of the whole family with the good behavior of all. It furnishes additional motives for honest industry and economy in private life, and for a deeper love of the country of our birth. - Joseph Story
5. Foreign Involvement
“It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world; so far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it; for let me not be understood as capable of patronizing infidelity to existing engagements. I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best policy. I repeat it, therefore, let those engagements be observed in their genuine sense. But, in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be unwise to extend them.” -George Washington
6. Chicago’s Gun Laws
"To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them." -George Mason
7. Religious Intolerance
“The Religion then of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man; and it is the right of every man to exercise it as these may dictate. This right is in its nature an unalienable right.” -James Madison
8. Direct Election of Senators
"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote." U.S. Constitution Article I, section 3.
9. The National Debt
“No pecuniary consideration is more urgent than the regular redemption and discharge of the public debt; on none can delay be more injurious, or an economy of the time more valuable.” -George Washington
10. The Federal Reserve
"Paper is poverty...it is only the ghost of money, and not money.” -Thomas Jefferson
Happy Thanksgiving!
It was pushed by the people who saw the overwhelming level of corruption by Senators and unaccountability. To claim it was a Communist conspiracy is ludicrous.
Actually, it might be better to change the EC to a one-vote-per-Congressional district system. Winner-take-all per state disenfranchises substantial amounts of voters (especially in large Democrat states). Also, why should all states necessarily maintain their current boundaries for perpetuity ? Look at Illinois, where 1 fraud-ridden Dem county can overwhelm the preferences of nearly every other in the state.
Specify ?
You still keep spouting nothing but unprovable and undocumented generalities. To claim that the ratification of the 17th amendment wasn’t the progressives’ wet dream come true takes a real leap of faith (and illogic).
The example is straightforward, and I’ve cited it repeatedly. The Senate was, by the turn of the 20th century, and indeed even 50 years before that, no longer this body that would jealously defend the rights of states against a federal leviathan. It was once expected of Senators that, even if elected to a 6-year term, if there was a turnover in a given state legislature and they would not be able to follow their instructions, they would step aside and allow the legislature to elect someone who would. That went out the window.
Do some research, read up on the body and those that inhabited it. People knew it was becoming a joke by the end of the 19th century with wealthy individuals bribing legislators for seats. They ceased to represent state interests and began representing certain special interests (namely themselves). There was no longer any resemblance to what the Founding Fathers wanted.
Ceding the power to the people and voters left it up to them to elect the person best able to represent the interests of their state at large. It may not be the most ideal way, but it’s better than a return to a system that had ceased to work and was corrupt.
I have to say at this point, it is simply unimaginable to entrust state legislators with this power again and take away one of our last vestiges of say in our government.
We’ve never agreed on this. Your attacking me when we agree on probably 90% of everything else is ill-advised and childish.
You’re losing it again. Your wanting to take away my right to vote on my Senator is plain wrong, sir.
Help “right” ?
IIRC, you’ve described yourself at FR as an historian, right?
A Free Republic that gives away the right of the people to elect their Senators to a bunch of politicians ? Oh, yes, the irony is indeed rich.
Ain’t much more “progressive” than putting complete faith and trust into elite politicians. I don’t trust politicians.
One could make a valid argument that the concept of strong state powers ceased with the Civil War.
It’s not my fault if you don’t know the history or motives behind the 17th. You yourself couldn’t distinguish between an amendment process vs. SCOTUS misrulings.
Hi, Jackie, how are you ?
All that you've "cited" (actually asserted) repeatedly is that the senate "wasn't working". You have yet to cite any contemporaneous source to back up that assertion.
Question 2) What is the purpose of government?
I’ll give you one example: look up William Andrews Clark of Montana.
How was your thanksgiving, Jackie ?
So what has changed? That is exactly what they do today, largely because the People's House is even more corrupt.
We have not had a Budget since Obama took office, yet they spend money like there was no end.
We have a morally corrupt society that supports a morally corrupt government, one or the other has to change, or we will reap what we have sown.
Question 2) in post #76 unanswered. FM doesn’t know what his right to vote for senators is supposed to accomplish.
Question 3) If the popular election of both reps and senators is a right regardless of the 17th Amendment, is there also a right to elect the president and supreme court?
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