I have let it be know many times here at RJsCorner that Thomas Jefferson is one of my main heroes in life. He, and Will Rogers, are who I chose many years ago to how to cope in the best of times and in the worst of times.
Jefferson had a love of words from a very early age. When it came to the written word he was probably the most prolific of all the founding fathers. He was also recognized, even by himself, to be no better than an average speaker. He seldom spoke extemporaneously. In his time in the Continental Congress, he seldom spoke more than a few words. But when given the time to dream, write, edit and then edit some more he was a master of eloquence. It is a fact that even Lincoln used Jefferson’s writing as a pillar for his own.
I have been looking over his words as found in the book “The Quotable Jefferson” as I seem to do on a regular basis and ran across his thoughts about Andy Jackson. Before I get to them I want to re-iterate my contempt for our 17th President. I simply cannot fathom how the Democratic Party can celebrate him as their founder. I admit that I haven’t read a full-length biography but I have read many things about him and have visited his estate the Heritage and read most of the info there. I know from that that he was a threat to our young democracy due to his rash and boastful bravado.
I also know that a picture of Jackson is now hung in the Oval Office as it’s current occupant thinks himself able to compete with Jackson’s legacy.
Before this gets too long I have to give you the quote from Jefferson on his thoughts of Jackson as recorded in 1824, two years before his death and five years before Jackson occupied the Presidency:
I feel much alarmed at the prospect of seeing General Jackson, President. He is one of the most unfit men, I know of for such a place. He has had very little respect for laws or Constitutions, -& is in fact an able military chief. His passions are terrible. When I was president of the Senate, he was a Senator; & he could never speak for the rashness of his feelings. I have seen him attempt it repeatably, & as often chock with rage. His passions are no doubt cooler now; -he has been tried much since I knew him- but he is a dangerous man.
I don’t doubt that Jefferson rolls over in his grave every time his name is mentioned Jackson.
This comment is not exactly directly related to this post but I can’t find a way to email you directly.
A “friend” sent me this article today.
https://ronaldyatesbooks.com/2018/10/everyone-is-smart-except-donald-trump-rabbi-dov-fischer/
On the first reading, it sounds “impressive”, but after some thought, I realized what bothered me.
This is all about Trump. What “he” did, not what “we’ did. Outside of the tax cut, which seems to have not really done much for us, virtually everything mentioned is what he did unilaterally. Not what he got the Congress to support, therefore not what we, “the people”, did or necessarily support. I’m thinking that everything he did can just as easily be undone by the next President. “Live by Executive and die by Executive order”. He really has not accomplished anything permanent. What we have is a dictator or king but not a President.
In our system, it is the job of the President to get the Congress to enact the laws or provide support for his plans not do it himself. I guess if the Congress does not rebuke him or somehow “unsupport” what he does it feels like they did it – but it’s not the same as doing it by getting Congressional support before doing it. (Hoping this makes sense).
Sort of on a side note; I was thinking we should let Trump have funding for the “wall” providing he uses all the steel/iron from the Statue of Liberty as part of the material used to build the Wall. It is obvious that we no longer believe in what that Statue signifies and it would be fitting then to convert the SoL to the “Wall”.
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Hi Bob and thanks for the thoughts. I am trying to significantly wean myself off the Oval Office stuff lately and I have found that absence to be very refreshing. 🙂 If you want to send a private conversation then use the “Contact” button available at the top right on every page. I don’t want to put an email address out as that just generates too much spam that I have to go through, talk about depressing…
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Thanks RJ. Guess I missed the contact link.
I agree about staying off the CO3 stuff. I’ve stopped all my news feeds and rarely even think about political news. This article came unreqested from a friend and out of respect for him I read it. Just wanted to pass thoughts along to see if I was thinking correctly.
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You might find Jon Meacham’s book: A Lion in The White House an interesting read.
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