The 2012 Election & Thomas Jefferson

[rightwinger]

"The people can not be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.".



Founding Fathers' dirty campaign - CNN

Negative campaigning in America was sired by two lifelong friends, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Back in 1776, the dynamic duo combined powers to help claim America's independence, and they had nothing but love and respect for one another. But by 1800, party politics had so distanced the pair that, for the first and last time in U.S. history, a president found himself running against his vice president.

Things got ugly fast. Jefferson's camp accused President Adams of having a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."

In return, Adams' men called Vice President Jefferson "a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father."

As the slurs piled on, Adams was labeled a fool, a hypocrite, a criminal, and a tyrant, while Jefferson was branded a weakling, an atheist, a libertine, and a coward.

My favorite was when, during the 1824 election, Jackson was smeared by his opponents who claimed his mother was the British Army's whore during the Revolution.

I have frequently mentioned that as the low water mark of American electioneering. And then just a couple weeks before this past election, rumors started being spread about Obama's mother being a prostitute.

So this election is now tied for worst.

.

I don't conflate a candidate doing a smear and a goober on the net doing a smear.

But, that's just me, perhaps.

Regardless of all this, Jefferson's message is clear.

But, let's smear Jefferson because that's much better than looking at the message.

I think it shows that Jefferson was full of shit in bemoaning the fact that an illinformed electorate is incapable of diferentiating the facts and then engaging in a ruthless smear campaign against Adams

In the end...politics wins

 

[rightwinger]

"The people can not be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.".



Founding Fathers' dirty campaign - CNN

Negative campaigning in America was sired by two lifelong friends, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Back in 1776, the dynamic duo combined powers to help claim America's independence, and they had nothing but love and respect for one another. But by 1800, party politics had so distanced the pair that, for the first and last time in U.S. history, a president found himself running against his vice president.

Things got ugly fast. Jefferson's camp accused President Adams of having a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."

In return, Adams' men called Vice President Jefferson "a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father."

As the slurs piled on, Adams was labeled a fool, a hypocrite, a criminal, and a tyrant, while Jefferson was branded a weakling, an atheist, a libertine, and a coward.

My favorite was when, during the 1824 election, Jackson was smeared by his opponents who claimed his mother was the British Army's whore during the Revolution.

I have frequently mentioned that as the low water mark of American electioneering. And then just a couple weeks before this past election, rumors started being spread about Obama's mother being a prostitute.

So this election is now tied for worst.

.

Strangely, both Jefferson and Adams died within hours of each other on July 4 1826. Fifty years to the day of the signing of the Declaration of Independence

 

[Si modo]

My favorite was when, during the 1824 election, Jackson was smeared by his opponents who claimed his mother was the British Army's whore during the Revolution.

I have frequently mentioned that as the low water mark of American electioneering. And then just a couple weeks before this past election, rumors started being spread about Obama's mother being a prostitute.

So this election is now tied for worst.

.

I don't conflate a candidate doing a smear and a goober on the net doing a smear.

But, that's just me, perhaps.

Regardless of all this, Jefferson's message is clear.

But, let's smear Jefferson because that's much better than looking at the message.

I think it shows that Jefferson was full of shit in bemoaning the fact that an illinformed electorate is incapable of diferentiating the facts and then engaging in a ruthless smear campaign against Adams

In the end...politics wins

Wrong is right.

And Jefferson IS correct - an ill informed electorate IS incapable of differentiating facts from propaganda.

This is why good education is necessary. Yet, the powers that be have enacted policy that has dumbed down even more the electorate.

By design?

Stalin also nailed it - Useful idiots.




We all win. [/sarcasm]

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

The people can not be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive.

Sounds like he is talking about Fox News!

.

or the NYTimes, MSNBC, and a myriad of other so called "news outlets"

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Jefferson believed in the seperation of church and state.

Jefferson would be a Democrat today.

Cool. Did you read his letter to the Danbury baptists where this originated from?

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Jefferson believed in the seperation of church and state.

Jefferson would be a Democrat today.

Cool. Did you read his letter to the Danbury baptists where this originated from?

Gentlemen

The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.

Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.

Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists (June 1998) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin