The Party of Thomas Jefferson

[FatDave]

Republicans never seem to miss an opportunity to refer to themselves as "The party of Abraham Lincoln" as if the modern republican party has anything at all in common with the policies of Lincoln.

Well, we are the party of Thomas Jefferson and I think we should drive that point home. Thomas Jefferson is possibly the most brilliant man our country has ever known. Not only was he instrumental in forming our democracy, he also foresaw and wrote about nearly every potential pitfall it would face, including those it faces tody.

I also think the modern democratic party is far closer in spirit to the party of Jefferson's day than the current republican party is to Lincoln's.

Some Jefferson quotes that seem especially relevant today:

A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public debt. If the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at stake. - From a letter of 1798, after the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: (1) Those that fear and distrust people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. (2) Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depository of the public interests. In every country these two parties exist; and in every one where they are free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves. - Letter to Henry Lee (August 10, 1824)

The truth is, that the greatest enemies of the doctrine of Jesus are those, calling themselves the expositors of them, who have perverted them to the structure of a system of fancy absolutely incomprehensible, and without any foundation in his genuine words. - Letter to John Adams (April 11, 1823)(Scan at The Library of Congress)

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. - Letter to William Stevens Smith (November 13, 1787)

Delay is preferable to error. - Letter to George Washington (May 16, 1792)

I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage with my books, my family and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post, which any human power can give. - Letter to Alexander Donald (February 7, 1788)

He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world's believing him. This falshood of tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good dispositions. - Letter to Peter Carr (August 19, 1785)

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add "within the limits of the law" because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual. - Letter to Isaac H. Tiffany (1819)

Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost. - Letter to Dr. James Currie (January 28, 1786)

Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law. - Letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper (February 10, 1814)

In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own. - Letter to Horatio G. Spafford (March 17, 1814)

I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it. - Letter to Archibald Stuart (1791)

Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day. - Letter to Du Pont de Nemours (April 24, 1816)

I am for freedom of religion, & against all maneuvres to bring about a legal ascendancy of one sect over another. - Letter to Elbridge Gerry (1799)

more...

[Poiuyt]

1. Have you read Thom Hartmann's book?

What Would Jefferson Do?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400052092/sr=8-3/qid=1142902855/ref=pd_bbs_3/002-9993368-3346469?%5Fencoding=UTF8

[FatDave]

2. Hadn't heard of that

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

[Lefty48197]

3. My favorite Jefferson quote:

'All history hath shown that man is more inclined to suffer, while evils are sufferable,
than to right himself by abolishing the forms to which he is accostomed,
but when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same object
envinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism
It is their right. It is their duty to throw off such government, and provide new guards for their future security.'

--What a radical!

[silverweb]

4. Well said!

And I agree completely. "The Party of Jefferson" has a true and lovely ring to it!

[Odin2005]

5. Jefferson was more Libertarian than Liberal (in the modern sense).

"Liberal" originally refered to what we would now be called Libertarian, The Jeffersonians were very anti-interventionist in both economics and society. This use of the term Liberal is still used in Europe. In the US, because of the 2-party system the definition of the term changed as the Democratic party changed, eventually ending up meaning the same thing as "Social Democrat" over in Europe.

[Touchdown]

6. Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Franklin, Paine. We have the lot.

"I shall ever hope to see more and more liberalism in the United States" -not an exact quote, but Washington said something pretty close.

Who do they have? Hamilton??? :rofl:

EDIT- Found it.

"As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality. "

[WiseButAngrySara]

7. I so enjoyed reading this post. Will K & R. Thanks. n/t

[LeftofU]

8. Great Post

thanks