Was George Washington right?  

Jefferson really favored a lottery? Since Kennedy I would have to agree...

Washington made another relevant point in his Farewell Address. Again, Ill paraphrase:

When, not if but when, there are abuses in power cherish the provision to amend your Constitution to correct the abuse. [End paraphrase.]

Yes, he did.

As to the Washingtonian statement you've brought up, I think of it often. I wonder how many others are thinking, and are tired of just thinking.

Off and an I have been in the streets, protesting. That does not really cause much lasting change. Now, amending the constitution to correct the abuses of power is, I think, the solution.

Feel free to post your opinions or just a hello at:

http://steve-slaton.spaces.live.com/

Arkie,

I agree with you that I cannot stand the negative advertising. If you recall the Supreme Court decision that awarded the election to Sonny Bush in 2000, they made things clear: In the contest one of the jerks was declared the winner. Would you hire anyone that had anything negative to say about another applicant? (You better say no!)

Have you ever entered a contest that resulted in the winner having a paying job? No? Me neither.

As a supervisor and business owner I had advertised to fill vacancies and sometimes not one applicant was acceptable. It was not a contest. I sucked it up, we worked overtime until I found someone competent. The last line of every ballot should have "None of the Above" as a choice so that the people could force what I would call a "peoples' election." (Just one of my many ideas.)

I would bet you have some more pretty good ideas too. I know exactly what you are saying about hiring people to work. At one time my Brother and I ran two crews framing new houses. The local employment office would send people to us that were supposed to be top notch carpenters and we couldn't use them.

From the way they are talking now it looks like we are going to wind up with a socialist government out of this crash. They are saying the government won't be competing with the public but you can bet they will.

Talking about socialism, how 'bout that bail out? Bush signed, Obama and McCain voted for it, and we the taxpayers are now in the banking business while the fat cats just got richer...

The $900 Billion plus trillions of Euro Dollars bailouts is NOT the way to fix corruption of our financial systems.

Anti-trust law used to be a good thing. While I am a capitalist, I also understand that regulation, oversight, and vigilance is essential if freedom is to be perpetuated.

I agree that the incumbents are mostly bought and paid for.

There are some clever people pulling the chains right now. They want you to believe in the "accidental view of history:" Nobody controls economics for instance. The clever people are increasing their power real fast during these last few months. All it takes is 2 people plotting for a conspiracy.

What is called "organized crime" is just one way to wield corrupt power...

The original 13 States had a Confederacy. The secret Constitutional
Convention was not well received. The masses rightfully feared Constitution as too powerful and demanded the "Bill of Rights" which was promised then passed as the first acts of the first congress. There were 12 by the way. The 11th became the 27th Amendment when it finally got enough States to ratify it. I think that happened in the 1980s...

I really ramble when I am tired... (And I am tired.)

I think that the Congressional Session should be very, very short because they would only be involved with overseeing our interstate oversight (like highways, www, FCC) currency, treaties, and defense. (They will not give up their power easily.)

IN the long view, China, the European Union, NATO, and the United States all have too much power and are abusing it.

I am writing books, by the way. Here at myLot I'm just venting & testing the waters a bit.

I think our agenda needs to be to maximize freedom tempered by responsibility where disputes are justly settled in a pluralistic society.

Almost everything our government does makes us less free. good night.

Well I must say that you have some interesting view points. Thanks for sharing them. Have a great weekend/