This is a follow-up post to my previous one regarding Adams’ constitutional views.
So John Adams saw the necessity of a mixed government, combining and balancing the monarchical, the aristocratic, and the democratic natures within society.
Learning from Life and Thing that are Unseen; a Role for Idealism
January 23rd, 2007
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This post is essentially a prolonged comment at my brother’s blog here. Please read the post and the comments prior to commenting here (unless you don’t feel like it).
Thought on Government from Henry David Thoreau
January 10th, 2007
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“This government never of itself furthured an enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it (the government) got out of its (the enterprise’s) way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got it its way.”
This correlates with this quote from Dwight Eisenhower posted by Reluctant. The character inherent in the American people that Thoreau credits with accomplishing all that America has accomplished may be in danger of eradication unless we can regain a love for freedom at the sacrifice of false sense of security that government provides when it oversteps its bounds.
The government really has a limited role. As soon as it expands that role, it gets in the way of freedom. This is the topic of the next John Adams post.
Isaiah
January 8th, 2007
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The prophet Isaiah was another critic and idealist, and was so popular among the elite in his time that rumor has it that he met death by being “sawn asunder.”
Chapter 1, verse 23 I think has much applicability to politics of our day:
“Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.”
(Judge not in this chapter seems to mean not giving equity before the law).
Does this describe our current and past Congress? Unfortunately it describes the weak nature of almost all men who have a little authority.
Stay tuned for more philosophical and political idealism from Isaiah.
Separation of Powers
January 5th, 2007
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I just read significant portions of The Political Writings of John Adams, a collection of writings from 1765-1820′s; some letters, some critiques of political writings of others. The main portion of the book is made up of his A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States of America written in 1787 in response to calls from some French and more democratic-leaning English writers for a single representative assembly embodying the executive, legislative, and judicial powers.
Freedom for bread
December 30th, 2006
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One of socialism’s fundamental tenets is its desire for the government to universally care for people, whether it be through single payor healthcare or ensuring jobs and even equal wealth for all. These are lofty and admirable goals and desires. However, what are the potential costs?
War Profiteering
October 21st, 2006
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This post started as a response to a comment by my friend Todd here in response to this post. Recently I read many letters of George Washington written throughout the entire founding period, collected in this book. The following excerpts are from letters written in 1779 in response to questions about the duration and management of the War for American Independence. They relate specifically to the concept of those who want to extend or encourage war as a way of making money.
Terror
October 12th, 2006
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Something happened yesterday. An accident. Two unfortunate deaths. Sadness and loss.
However, based on the news stories, the inuedno, and the fear it would appear that “liberal mainstream media” is participating very willingly in promoting the war on Terror.
John Adams, John McCain and the Moral High Ground
September 21st, 2006
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The entire duration of John Adams’ presidency was complicated by the threat of war with France. No one was sure how things would turn out as the Jacobins battled the old aristocracy and Bonaparte for control. The French were capturing U.S. merchants vessels and behaving as if the U.S. were only a transient entity on the world-stage. In the U.S. politicians, the media, and the people had divided themselves into two camps: the Federalists (led by Alexander Hamilton), who pushed for war with France to establish the U.S. as a power and to push attain vengeance for prior bad acts by the French; and the Republicans (mainly Thomas Jefferson and James Madison) who pushed for reconciliation and almost capitulation to the desires of France.
Why "The Idealist"
September 15th, 2006
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For months, the name and purpose of the blog have been bothering me. The name and stated purpose seemed pretentious. So I decided on something that may more appropriately describe by thoughts and feelings from the outset. It seems the pretentiousness may, however, have only increased by implying that I may know “how things, perhaps, ought to be” (see the title). My position is not that I know any of how things should be, but that I have opinions and I am anxious to explore what is ideal. I again encourage free expression and exploration of topics philosophical, political, and economic. Religion will surface often, but for me is not the crux of the debate.
This morning, reading in Will Durant’s “The Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage,” I ran across the following regarding Mahatma Gandhi: “In his first year there (in London to study law at age 18) he read eighty books on Christianity. The Sermon on the Mount ‘went straight to my heart on the first reading.’ He took the counsel to return good for evil, and to love even one’s enemies, as the highest expression of all human idealism; and he resolved rather to fail with these than to succeed without them.”
“These are the times that try men’s souls,” exclaimed Thomas Paine in December of 1776 as Washington’s army faced a horrible winter in Delaware. Our current times are also very trying. If only we had leaders who didn’t just say they believed in Christ (as the religious right states), but actually believed Him and were disciples of Him (as was the previously mentioned Hindu pacifist), the responses of our government and the results of our decisions would be quite different.
My goal for this blog and the world (delusions of granduer? Maybe, but after all, I am an idealist) is that we can identify the changes that can and must be made in order to preserve liberty and progress as humanity.
