Why there will never be another George Washington

[ShimokitaJer]

In the lead-up to Presidents' Day every year, we are invariably inundated with fluff pieces about the lingering influence of our founding fathers, particularly the first president. But what I alway find lacking in these pieces is a recognition of Washington's most important quality, and one which sets him apart from any other president we've ever had or will ever have again: he didn't want the job.

Despite all the accomplishments of Washington as general in the war for independence, the act which most set him apart from earlier conquering heroes was his voluntary relinquishing of the power that could have been his for the taking. Although his influence and reputation may have allowed Washington to seize the reins of government and crown himself king, he chose to resign his commission and return to farming at Mount Vernon. It was regarding this voluntary relinquishing of power that King George III said "If he indeed does that, he will be the greatest man in the world."

It is also often said that Washington was reluctant to reenter the public sphere, and had to be talked into presiding over the continental congress in drafting the Constitution, and was also reluctant to take the job of president, despite being elected unanimously by the electoral college for both of his two terms. This reluctance to accept political office seems to have ended with him, and with the very next election, the power of party politics began to dominate the electoral process.

It is hard to imagine such a situation now, when the only men who we are offered as potential presidents are those who have fought for the position. We praise the energy of the candidate that "wants it most" without understanding that "wanting it most" is seldom linked to being "most able." We rely on the parties to vet our candidates and decide for us who is most "electable" rather than most able, failing to understand that individual candidates may act in the best interests of the country, but a political party is motivated only by the interests of the party. And we rely on the media to direct our focus toward the most "viable" candidates, failing to understand that the media necessarily pander to the lowest common denominator. The very process requires that we elect politicians rather than statesmen and salesmen rather than governors.

Solutions? I don't have any, but I'm certainly open to suggstions.

[onebigbadwulf]

1. Because Washington was an adulterer and had wooden teeth?

[MacCovern]

2. George Washington was a great human being!

Your insult to this great founding father will not go unanswered
on Presidents Day!

We need more people like George Washington in today's world, and
if that means more adulterers with wooden teeth than let's try that.

[kispoko]

6. george washington was a town burner

ask the seneca. that's how they know this "great human being."

[MacCovern]

8. Nobody's Perfect

Happy President's Day George Washington!!!!!!
It's your day, and today I sing your praises.
burner smurner....blah blah blah.

[kispoko]

9. nobody's perfect?

nobody's perfect? sure, but neither do we all go around burning noncombatant towns filled with women, children, the elderly and otherwise infirm.

same shit bush is doing in murdering innocents, yet washington gets a pass? why, 'cause he's got a great wig?


look at how little some regard red life..... disgusting :puke:

[Muddleoftheroad]

10. How little regard for the founder of our nation

Disgusting.

[kispoko]

11. how little regard for unrevised history!

disgusting, and 1!


though not the most grievous aggressor, washington committed genocide against native peoples and stole lands.... the one i'm on currently in fact, and the ones we've been on since before you or anyone else was taught blind heroworship of certain men....

regard *that* :mad:

[MacCovern]

12. Seneca were allied with the British!

In the Revolutionary War the Seneca made the fateful decision to
ally themselves with the British!!!!!!

What did you expect to happen to the Seneca?

[kispoko]

14. maccovern....

not all seneca were allied with the british, some were neutral.... after that however, the americans sealed their own fate on the matter....


but neverminding that, you need to understand something that ought to be very obvious to normal, decent people, which is that you do not encourage the indiscriminate killing of innocents (or, noncombatants, if you will) including children, women, the elderly as well as those unable to fight, in a war..... fucking period!

and you do not purposely burn their towns and food stocks with the hopes they will starve to death, or die by expsoure to the elements.... what they attempted against the seneca was genocide.... they didn't just aim for the warriors....

what a bunch of ignoble cowards!


and what a disgusting display you're putting on defending that

[texastoast]

5. And Your Point Is?

Well, what?

[MacCovern]

7. oops, responded to wrong thread

Happy Presidents Day everyone... on edit

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

3. when we write a new Constitution and create a new office

and have a popular general put down some tax revolts, then we'll have a new Washington. Did Washington ever arrest newspaper publishered for writing bad things about him, or what that only Adams, Washinton's Federalist successor, that did that?

[BeFree]

4. The first GW said:

I can not tell a lie.

The GW we got now says: I can tell a lie.

[MacCovern]

13. Some George Washington Quotes:

Here are some quotes from the beloved Father of our country (in honor of Presidents Day):

Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.
George Washington

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.
George Washington

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.
George Washington

Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.
George Washington

Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.
George Washington

It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.
George Washington, letter to his niece Harriet Washington, October 30, 1791