Thomas Paine Joins the Conflict

thomas paineWhile George Washington was laboring away trying to convince the soldiers under his command to be vigilant and courageous, he was joined in camp by a patriotic writer named Thomas Paine. Paine had written a booklet, “Common Sense”, that gave men more insight into the blessings of freedom and liberty.

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection.” read more

Politicians or Businessman?

GeorgeWashingtonOK. After the shenanigans in Iowa, and the politician sounding more like politicians than like real Americans, I am more convinced than ever that we need a businessman at the head of the country, rather than more politicians.

Look at the mess the politicians have gotten us into. They all sound like more of the same. Promises, promises, but when they get into office, it’s just more of the same. Government as usual. Every time!

On the one side we have an avowed socialist who promises everything for free, and he will take the necessary money from the wealthy to give these freebies. Or we have someone who cannot tell the truth, and who promises more of what we have had under Obama, without any respite! She has shown by her actions that she can’t be trusted—especially with government. Guaranteed ruination! read more

“And to the Republic . . .”

Ben FranklinThe Founding Fathers must have believed a democracy was the way to go, if what they gave us with the United States of America is really a democracy. No on both counts.

We actually live in a Republic. You know: “and to the Republic for which it stands.” Those great minds who gave us the Constitution disagreed on a lot of things, but they stood united on one thing—a democracy was the worst possible form of government.

Even the idea that our nation is built on “majority rules” is not near the truth. Yes, the Founding Fathers knew that a government if it became a democracy would soon lead to mob rule. And they expressed themselves that way. read more

How Much Was the Bill of Rights, and Who Paid for it?

JamesMadison

I still didn’t know, even after my senior year at High School, that the Bill of Rights was what they called the first ten amendments to our U.S. Constitution. I guess it just didn’t appear to me to be that important back then. What do high schoolers think about it today?

Now when I hear a person that doesn’t know that, I shudder. Today many people argue that protecting the freedoms of “religion, speech, assembly, press and petition, were the most important issues to the first Americans and that’s why they’re in the first amendment. read more

Founding Fathers of the Past, Looking to the Future

Header5.jpgYes, I usually find a story about one of the Founders of our Nation to report about in our blog. But today I found a quote that I believe George Washington, because of his “Rules of Civility,” and Benjamin Franklin, because of his “Plan for Moral Perfection,” and even Thomas Jefferson, because of his love of literature, would adopt and accept as worthy of acceptation.

It’s from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it has to do with finishing well. He wrote: “Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in: forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterdays. What lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” read more

Thomas and Martha Jefferson and Happiness

ThomasJeffersonTom and Martha were married on her father’s plantation in Virginia on New Years Day, 1772. He was 29 and she was a widow at 24. Tom described their marriage as “ten years of uncheckered happiness.” Martha died at the age of 33.

Tom never remarried, as he once promised Martha. But Tom somehow continued to be busy and to find joy in his surroundings, his accomplishments, his inventions, and his books. “I cannot live without books,” he cried.

A good example of this kind of happiness is found in the life of an old entertainer. He was a guest on a TV show. He kept the studio roaring with laughter at his commentary and insights. The master of ceremonies asked him: “How come you’re so happy?” read more

Founding Fathers and Leadership

Speaking-2My wife has been asking me what I want to do now that I’m retired. The other night I woke up at about 2 or 2:30 with a thought on my mind. It seemed important to me at that time in my groggy condition. So what did I do? I got out of bed, went into my office, found a scrap of paper and a pencil and wrote down my thought.

Then, the next day, I couldn’t find the paper on which I had written my thought. Yes, in between I guess I had cleaned off my desk. But that night, I had that same thought again. This time I wrote in down on the white board in my study. That would get misplaced! read more

Politics and Founding Fathers

JohnAdamsI always think it’s interesting that George Washington solemnly stated that it would be unwise to have political parties. He thought we should all be Americans and want what’s best for America. Little did he know that Americans disagreed on that score more than on the weather.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson soon split the country into political parties by their adherence to certain policies. But now . . .

“We expect to find a doctor practicing medicine, a lawyer practicing law, an engineer engaged in engineering, school teachers teaching school; but when it comes to politics, we think there is something reprehensible in the fact that those engaged in politics are politicians!” read more

Abe Lincoln’s Wit

Abraham_Lincoln_2On Watter’s World on Fox news, one college man was asked to name the first President of the United States. The man answered: “Wasn’t that Abraham Lincoln?”

Abe, himself, would have laughed at such foolishness. Abe was a man who enjoyed some humor in his otherwise melancholy life. He was a lawyer after all.

About seven score years ago, two young men were having a quarrel, and there were signs that it would soon become serious. Abraham Lincoln, himself a young lawyer at the time, had an earnest desire for fair play. So he was called upon to decide the dispute. One of the combatants, who by the way, had been defeated by the decision, then boastfully threatened Lincoln, who had issued the decision. read more

Freedom, Liberty, and the Founding Fathers

PatrickHenryIt’s interesting how much emphasis and importance all of the Founders put in the idea of Freedom and Liberty. They even warned us to take good care of the things they left for us.

“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the chains of slavery . . .?” Patrick Henry.

“It is my full intention to devote my life and fortune in the cause we are engaged in (the Revolution), if need be.” George Washington.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration of Independence. read more