The following quotes of Jefferson show how the 'rogues' of our society often create absolute power for themselves through which they drain the voice and freedom of society:
"It should be remembered as an axiom of eternal truth in politics, that whatever power in any government is independent, is absolute also; in theory only at first while the spirit of the people is up, but in practice as fast as that relaxes." --Thomas Jefferson to Spencer Roane, 1819. ME 15:213
"I do not believe with the Rochefoucaults and the Montaignes that fourteen out of fifteen men are rogues. I believe a great abatement from that proportion may be made in favor of general honesty. But I have always found that rogues would be uppermost, and I do not know that the proportion is too strong for the higher orders and for those who, rising above the swinish multitude, always contrive to nestle themselves into the places of power and profit. These rogues set out with stealing the people's good opinion, and then steal from them the right of withdrawing it, by contriving laws and associations against the power of the people themselves." --Thomas Jefferson to Mann Page, 1795. ME 9:306
Source of both quotes: http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeffcont.htm
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So...one vote for me, in favor of joining my local planning board...
ReplyDeleteIf we do not like what we see and do nothing about it...ultimately...it becomes our choice...whatever we get.
It is true that we must spend our best time on our home and family, but we must also reach out where we can, to help the community around our home and family, as our time and strength lasts.
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