Thomas Jefferson for President.

[goBigtime]

Someone needs to bring that guy back to life.

[goBigtime]

Some of his famous quotes:


"When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny."




"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of the day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period, and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers (adminstrators) too plainly proves a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing us to slavery."




"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. Already they have raised up a moneyed aristocracy that has set the Government at defiance. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs."




"No free man shall ever be de-barred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government."




"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."




"To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."




"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be."




So many more....

[Gheenz]

Originally posted by goBigtime

"To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."



"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be."

Why do these two seem to have such relevance in today's America?

[Tala]

Originally posted by NickHimself
Why do these two seem to have such relevance in today's America?

Actually, they all have some relevance in today's America, perhaps more than many people would care to realize. But I think my favorite is this one:

"When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny."

[goBigtime]

Originally posted by NickHimself
Why do these two seem to have such relevance in today's America?

Man.. sooo many of his quotes seem like they were made by someone living in todays society.


Take this one for instance....


"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."



This is a scary one.

The federal reserve (which is a private entity) just started raising interest rates again... but right before they did, they had Gr33nspan out there pushing ARM's (adujustable rate mortages) of all things.

How fucking evil is that?

They just got damn near everyone in the country who could to buy a house, or refinance etc etc...

I think on average people are spending ~50% of their net income towards their mortage.

So now (imo) the rates are going to steadily increase.... and if you have an ARM, your house payment will steadily increase as well.

Eventually you may have to make a choice between owning a house and being able to pay for the basic monthly needs of your family.

So, it goes without saying that people will choose to take care of their family - and put their ARM'd houses on the market for sale.... more and more people will do it with each interest rate increase.

This will hurt the housing market and probably pop "the housing bubble" that many think doesn't exist.

As the prices fall, and housing values take another hit with each interest rate increase, eventually even some of the people with FIXED RATE mortgages will start to list their homes too because they wont want to watch their equity slip away.

This will cause further devaluation of the market.

In this scenario, eventually most of us will be renting.

Just like Jefferson said.

Scary.

[Mr.Fiction]

What about Ben Franklin?

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin

He's talking about you cowards who are so scared of the "terrorists" that you're willing to give Bush and A-s-h-c-r-f-t the right to burn the constitution!