House vote on stimulus imminent; Update: 244-188, all Republicans vote no

Mr_Magoo on January 29, 2009 at 11:34 AM

What a quandry. An independant is not a party party. It indicates the person is not affiliated with any political party. It’s an all inclusive term. It just means the person does not believe the BS of any political party or perhaps just hasn’t decided yet. Sometimes called swing voters because they can’t make a decision. It is within the system established by the founding fathers some of whom were against political parties altogether. Think George Washington.

kanda on January 29, 2009 at 11:44 AM

Tom Daschle, is that you ?

runner on January 29, 2009 at 10:46 AM

That is the funniest thing I’ve seen in the context in which it was made.

Kudos!!

kanda on January 29, 2009 at 11:55 AM

Think of it as “real Americans” thinking “country first”.

getalife on January 29, 2009 at 11:58 AM

Wrong. Think of it as founding fathers thinking how a corrupt politial party might influence some politicians. It actually goes against your point when you investigate it to any depth.

kanda on January 29, 2009 at 12:02 PM

The founding fathers were right.

getalife on January 29, 2009 at 12:06 PM

Yes they were. The common bond they shared was their love of liberty. I a love so strong within them that they risked all for libery. In the end, reluctantly they fought a war with Great Britan to obtain liberty. Then they established our country to preserve liberty. It is not love of country it is love of liberty that made us free and keeps us free.
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America gave us a republic…in the words of ben franklin “if they can keep it”.

From George Washintons farewell address to the nation. His view of political parties. He was after all a republican but not a Republican.

Towards the preservation of your government, and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts. One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the Constitution, alterations which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown. In all the changes to which you may be invited, remember that time and habit are at least as necessary to fix the true character of governments as of other human institutions; that experience is the surest standard by which to test the real tendency of the existing constitution of a country; that facility in changes, upon the credit of mere hypothesis and opinion, exposes to perpetual change, from the endless variety of hypothesis and opinion; and remember, especially, that for the efficient management of your common interests, in a country so extensive as ours, a government of as much vigor as is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is indispensable. Liberty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian. It is, indeed, little else than a name, where the government is too feeble to withstand the enterprises of faction, to confine each member of the society within the limits prescribed by the laws, and to maintain all in the secure and tranquil enjoyment of the rights of person and property.

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

kanda on January 29, 2009 at 12:23 PM