"History, in general, only informs us what bad government is." Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell, 1807.
Nov 03
“Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle”
~Thomas Jefferson
"History, in general, only informs us what bad government is." Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell, 1807.
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Tue, 11/11/2008 - 2:27pm
The health, safety and success of its people as individuals and the nation as a whole.
Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:53am
This is like the quote " those who do not study history are doomed to repeat its mistakes" We have to learn from our mistakes and the mistakes from the people before us. If we know that one thing doesn't work we try another. Learning from our mistakes helps us move forward in life
-June
Sat, 11/08/2008 - 10:08am
What a find! Your blog is terrific.
We have truly fallen far from Jefferson's wisdom. I am beginning to wonder if we can still learn from the past. 'Public Servant'. What does that mean anymore? Everyone wants to rule. Government has become a cruel taskmaster. And we are apparently letting this transfer of power stand.
Barbara
Fri, 11/07/2008 - 2:49pm
I found that quotation: "Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." -- George Washington
Therefore, the less power government has the more freedom we have from the fear of government as a "master." The Bill of Rights clarified that the powers and authorities of the federal government were few, limited, and very specific. The First through the Eighth Amendments further clarified the extreme restrictions on the federal government. Then, the Ninth and Tenth Amendments state without equivocation that if we have forgotten anything, you can't do that either. The vast bulk of powers and authorities were "...reserved to the States, or to the people."
At least 80% of what our government is doing is in violation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Most of this power and authority has been usurped through over broad interpretations of words or phrases. These usurpations have been at the hands of all three branches of our federal government.
LeRoy Paul; A man born out of time!
Fri, 11/07/2008 - 11:30am
To: An American in Florida
BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!
That's one BRAVO! for each excellent citation. There is one other that came to mind. I wll search it out -- government is a good servant, but a fearful master. Not in quotes until I check it out.
LeRoy Paul; A man born out of time!
Fri, 11/07/2008 - 10:42am
To (one hopes) definitively answer the question posed and in view of recent events in the life of our nation, perhaps the following quotations might reveal to all Mr. Jefferson’s thinking and beliefs concerning government and the people’s duty.
“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.”
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”
“Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.”
“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”
My inadequate interpretation of these succinct quotations is: Citizens, do your homework! Understand what our Republic is, its goal for our people, the importance of the ethos of our Constitution for in you is the responsibility our form of governance continues. From that base judge those who would govern for us.
Mr. Jefferson was steadfast in his belief in an educated people as sovereign and dreaded what in our day we call “big government.” He said
“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.”
Maybe the following quote is most helpful:
”That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.”
An American in Florida
Wed, 11/05/2008 - 6:52pm
A good government is one that furthers its citizens' pursuit of happiness, to borrow some of Mr. Jefferson's words. However, government cannot and should never attempt to guarantee that happiness; in doing so, it usually hinders the pursuit thereof. Rather, it should ensure that the law does not hinder anyone in their pursuit of said happiness, nor give unwarranted aid to any segment of the citizenry over another. The best way of accomplishing this goal is to limit the power of government, especially with regard to commerce and the press.
A representative government is quite obviously the sort best suited to serving the interests of the people: it gives them a voice and prevents tyranny of the majority.
A particularly excellent government will look to the interests of the whole as well as the individual; in the words of a worthy Athenian called Pericles, recorded by Thucydides and translated by Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, "For a private man, though in good estate, if his country come to ruin, must of necessity be ruined with it; whereas he that miscarrieth in a flourishing commonwealth, shall much more easily be preserved."
The pursuit of happiness follows the law of Nature as stated by John Locke: do what is best for yourself without harming any other person (necessarily paraphrased, as I cannot find my copy of Locke).
~ Publia
Wed, 11/05/2008 - 2:29pm
Tough question...subjective dependent upon your values as a citizen. I believe a good government is one that leads its people to success without standing in their way. It should foster personal responsibilities; as a parent should to their child. Its foundation should be built on honesty and integrity, and it should be held accountable for its actions.
Ours is a measure of a good government...but to stay that course we must better educate our children...and a history lesson is a great place to start.
Tue, 11/04/2008 - 9:30am
This is true. We as Americans muct learn from the mistakes of the past. There is not one perfect government and most likely never will be. However, America is certianly in today's world the best government syestm.
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