Nasty Attacks Are Nothing New

When I hear folks ranting about how "politics have become so dirty," I always point to the election of 1800 as proof that things have been bad since the beginning. In fact, things may have become more civil. Take a look at this great video from Reason that gives us a taste of what was said in our nations first competitive presidential election in the form of would-be ads from 1800.

When in the Course of Human Events...

Enjoy, learn, and apply the widom from the video below on this day we celebrate our stand against tyranny.

Happy Birthday Thomas Jefferson!

On this day in 1743 my hero, Thomas Jefferson, was born. Jefferson's contribution to the cause of liberty is one of the greatest of all time. Author of our Declaration of Independence, our third president, and our greatest Founding Father, Jefferson holds a place near to my heart. As a Jeffersonian, I draw my inspiration from this man. He was deeply flawed, and he did not always govern in the best way possible. But Tom Jefferson is to me an ultimate source of wisdom.

Here's to you Mr. Jefferson!

Quotation of the Day

“The care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the first and only legitimate object of good government.”--Thomas Jefferson

Jeffersonian Wisdom

I would like to draw attention to a portion of my blog that may often go unnoticed. I am referring to the quotation on the upper right-hand side by the great Thomas Jefferson laying out the proper position on government and constitutional authority. I keep it there because I love it and I love the man who said it.

In it we see a strong reliance on the individual, a strong reliance on the rights of states, and a strong reliance on the rule of law. I encourage you to read it, savor it, and put its ideas to practice.

I have included the quotation below for easy readability.

"The several states composing the United States of America are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government; but by a compact under the style and title of a Constitution for the United States, and of amendments thereto, they constituted a general government for special purposes [and] delegated to that government certain definite powers and whensoever the general government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force. To this compact each state acceded as a state, and is an integral party, its co-states forming, as to itself, the other party. The government created by this compact was not made the exclusive or final judge of the extent of the powers delegated to itself, since that would have made its discretion, and not the Constitution the measure of its powers." --Thomas Jefferson

Quotation of the Day

"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated." – Thomas Jefferson