George Washington on partisan political parties

[ALF]

President Washington expresses genuine concern in that “the alternate domination” of one political party over another, thereby allowing one party to enjoy temporary power over the government that would use it to obtain revenge on the other.

He felt that this tendency toward atrocities directed at the party out of power “…is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism.”

Reading the words of his Farewell Address, an adept reader may be astounded at how remarkably prophetic they are:

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.

Washington argued that political parties needed to be restrained in a free country with a government empowered by the consent of the governed and established through popular elections. He warned of the possibility fearing they could distract the government from its required duty to the people and even lead to the eradication of the freedoms established by the founding.

Unfortunately, it is way too late to restrain the hunger for power in today’s political parties; it has been enculturated.

America is at the mercy of two powerful political parties. If a strong candidate wants to get elected to office in this country, one usually needs some affiliation to the major parties.

We see from history that third party forays are limited in strength and often serve only to undermine one or another of the major parties in the capacity of a “spoiler.”

If Washington could see America now, probably the only thing that he could say after getting over the shock, would be: “I told you so!”

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/george-washingtons-views-political-parties-america/

[DC Tom]

But he was a slave owner, so anything he said should be ignored, forgotten, and erased from history.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

But he was a slave owner, so anything he said should be ignored, forgotten, and erased from history.

 

FORWARD!

[/dev/null]

[Joe Miner]

But he was a slave owner, so anything he said should be ignored, forgotten, and erased from history.

Let's get rid of that big penis monument to the slave owning Nazi.

[/dev/null]

Let's get rid of that big penis monument to the slave owning Nazi.

 

The inspiration for which was culturally appropriated from Egyptians

 

Speaking of Egyptians, is it time to tear down the Pyramids since they were built with slave labor?

[26CornerBlitz]

 

The inspiration for which was culturally appropriated from Egyptians

 

Speaking of Egyptians, is it time to tear down the Pyramids since they were built with slave labor?

 

False!

[TakeYouToTasker]

 

False!

It's impossible to know for sure, but some slaves likely did participate in the building and furnishing of pyramids.

 

The pyramids most certainly were built by and for slave owners, however; and slaves were entombed along with their masters.

[GG]

 

False!

 

It's been disproven that Hebrew slaves built the pyramids. But that doesn't mean other slaves didn't.

[meazza]

 

It's been disproven that Hebrew slaves built the pyramids. But that doesn't mean other slaves didn't.

Were they paid $15 an hour and did they have access to free education and health care ?

[GG]

Were they paid $15 an hour and did they have access to free education and health care ?

 

Bernie wasn't born yet to deliver them to the Promised Land.

[26CornerBlitz]

Were they paid $15 an hour and did they have access to free education and health care ?

 

 

It's been disproven that Hebrew slaves built the pyramids. But that doesn't mean other slaves didn't.

 

The historical evidence is there to also refute that.

[4merper4mer]

 

 

The historical evidence is there to also refute that.

 

 

Aliens?

[Tiberius]

Bringing up things like the pyramids is stupid. Those statues in the south honored white supremacy.

 

Should the Iraqis of left up Saddam's statues? Was that erasing history?

[/dev/null]

Should the Iraqis of left up Saddam's statues?

 

I know this belongs in the Pet Peeves thread but it's

Should have not Should of

[Azalin]

Partisan political parties?

[Deranged Rhino]

Aliens?

[DC Tom]

It's impossible to know for sure, but some slaves likely did participate in the building and furnishing of pyramids.

 

The pyramids most certainly were built by and for slave owners, however; and slaves were entombed along with their masters.

 

The current theory is that the pyramids were built by a work force conscripted from the peasantry into forced labor.

 

Nuremburg called it "slave labor" when Saur, Sauckel, Speer, and Keitel did it in the early '40s. So I'm guessing the pyramids absolve the Nazis of any slave labor charges?

[Azalin]

 

The current theory is that the pyramids were built by a work force conscripted from the peasantry into forced labor.

 

Nuremburg called it "slave labor" when Saur, Sauckel, Speer, and Keitel did it in the early '40s. So I'm guessing the pyramids absolve the Nazis of any slave labor charges?

 

I've seen footage that distinctly and clearly shows both Edward G Robinson and Vincent Price as slave-drivers during the construction of a monument to Ramses. I can only assume that the reason this isn't common knowledge today is because a bunch of history deniers have torn down the monument.

[Mark80]

 

President Washington expresses genuine concern in that “the alternate domination” of one political party over another, thereby allowing one party to enjoy temporary power over the government that would use it to obtain revenge on the other.

He felt that this tendency toward atrocities directed at the party out of power “…is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism.”

Reading the words of his Farewell Address, an adept reader may be astounded at how remarkably prophetic they are:

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.

Washington argued that political parties needed to be restrained in a free country with a government empowered by the consent of the governed and established through popular elections. He warned of the possibility fearing they could distract the government from its required duty to the people and even lead to the eradication of the freedoms established by the founding.

Unfortunately, it is way too late to restrain the hunger for power in today’s political parties; it has been enculturated.

America is at the mercy of two powerful political parties. If a strong candidate wants to get elected to office in this country, one usually needs some affiliation to the major parties.

We see from history that third party forays are limited in strength and often serve only to undermine one or another of the major parties in the capacity of a “spoiler.”

If Washington could see America now, probably the only thing that he could say after getting over the shock, would be: “I told you so!”

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/george-washingtons-views-political-parties-america/

 

 

You missed the most prophetic part, IMO.

 

"All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels and modified by mutual interests"

 

Now this is spot on, IMO. Political parties and the divides that they thrive off of are the culprit for many of today's issues. They allow money to have way too much influence in politics, they allow a very small group of influential leaders pretty much run everything, they promote strict party alliances instead of consensus and negotiation, they control who is on the ballets and conspire against candidates, and we are trapped by them. There is no reasonable alternative at this point. It's a shame.