Wednesday, May 10, 2006

On Politics and The Two Party System

I was kind of amazed that Kleinheider at Volunteer Voters actually blurbed a comment I made. It's been odd to see links to this page via the likes of Poor Hobbs and comments from The Can't Spell Representative. I appreciate any and all readership.

However.

I'm pretty certain that the number of people blogging who tackle the real and ugly state of politics today outside of the two party system have not only captured the national mood, they have also shamed the mass media for utterly failing at their job. Some from within the system also get it right.

And then I read the following quote from Thomas Jefferson, and I'm forced to re-think many ideas.

"
Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. 2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depositary of the public interests. In every country these two parties exist, and in every one where they are free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves. Call them, therefore, Liberals and Serviles, Jacobins and Ultras, Whigs and Tories, Republicans and Federalists, Aristocrats and Democrats, or by whatever name you please, they are the same parties still and pursue the same object. The last one of Aristocrats and Democrats is the true one expressing the essence of all." --Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 1824.

1 comment:

  1. You got blurbed. Actually, you should have, it was a great quote.
    I love me some Thomas Jefferson. Back when I was a wee lad,I used to go over to Charlottesville and hang out at Monticello.
    And he gave us mac n' cheese, now that's helping American culture.

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