George Washington would roll over on his birthday if....

[mac2]

he knew what this country had become.

Every year on Washington's birthday, a Congressman reads George Washington's FAREWELL ADDRESS To the People of the United States . Published in The Independent Chronicle, September 26, 1796.

See how far we have drifted from the original meaning of a democracy by our founding fathers.

Here's the complete speech. Link: http://thisnation.com/library/washington-farewell.html

(George Washington wrote a farewell speech to the people. He and James Madison prepared it. It was published in the paper and never given as a speech before Congress.)

Here's a summary of the critical points. Link: http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/farewell/

"In his Address Washington announces his planned withdrawal from politics "after forty-five years of my life dedicated to its (America's) service." He then sets forth his reasons against running for a third term. As if to bolster his argument, he states: "While choice and prudence invite me to quit the political scene, patriotism does not forbid it."

In his address Washington:

***Extolls the benefits of the federal government. "The unity of government...is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence...of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize."

***Warns against the party system. "It serves to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration....agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one....against another....it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption...thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."

***Stresses the importance of religion and morality. "Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice?"

***On stable public credit. "...cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible...avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt....it is essential that you...bear in mind, that towards the payments of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not...inconvenient and unpleasant..."

***Warns against permanent foreign alliances. "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world..."

***On an over-powerful military establishment. "...avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which, under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican Liberty."

In saying farewell to the new nation he helped create Washington pointed out that ".......the name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism..."

To the great soldier, statesman and leader of his country...no tribute could be more fitting."

Below is a e-mail I sent to Congressman William Delahunt about his reading today.

Congressman William Delahunt,

This morning, I heard you reading George Washington's speech on CSPAN. It was inspiring. As you read it, it reminded me how far we have drifted from the original concept of democracy.

This speech and the original documents of our founding father's is as relevant today as it was then. It seems these documents are timeless because, they deal in human rights and good government by the people.

Every year, it is read on his birthday by a member of Congress. However, little seems to absorbed by its members.

Why would I says this? We don't treat other countries with respect. We have interfered with their governments and even picked their leaders (such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Haiti). We have a too close bond with Israel (even at the expense of American lives) and not Palestine. We haven't respected other religions (with Bush's Judo/Christian War against Islam). We don't allow people freedom from no religion or certain religions...even calling them names. As Washington stated, you don't have to have a belief to be moral.

Ever since the RW came to power back in the mid-eighties with Contract "On" America, by Congressman Newt Gingrich and Grover Norquist, they have been out to destroy our democracy, put us in debt, re-organize our Civil Service, military, and change the Constitution and Bill of Rights. They don't have a clue on how to run a democracy...only how to destroy it for their own power and profit.

We can not change in our Constitution or Bill of Rights without ratification by the states. To change the duties (of the President and Congress), the freedoms of legal representation, etc. permission is needed from the people. This has not been done. Congress gave away duties and rights not theirs to give!!

Every word and concept has been debated by states and citizens before signing. We don't need to do it again to fit a political agenda for the majority. That's why ratification is so difficult. To prevent a tyrannical leader from changing it...like now.

We didn't elected them to change the agencies or previous laws without our consent. They have robbed our treasury with consent of the majority...not even voting in Congress. It is not by consent of the people to give money to Faith Based programs or churches, refuse to be accountable to the people for the treasury, make trade deals and open borders behind closed doors, etc.

We are on the wrong path to preserve our freedoms and country. Our government and democracy stolen without a shot being heard.

Please return to the original concept of democracy. Anything else will only cause conflict. We will be like a 3rd world country. My family did not fight in so many wars for freedom to have it taken away by a few greedy Neo Con leaders in our government. We will go back one hundred or more years instead of forward in the 21st Century.

Do it for yourselves as well as the citizens. We all profit or go down together.

[JohnnyFianna1]

1. Huh?!

Wow! The that G.W. really was a moderate as far as social issues go.

[mac2]

2. Read it all?

As you read the whole speech you can see George didn't want us to favor certain nations above others. He wanted us to respect them and not interfer with their government. Something the Brits, French, etc. had been doing for centuries causing war, death, etc.

I tried to get the CSPAN program today but they haven't posted it. It was down some of the day.