THE QUOTABLE THOMAS JEFFERSON

Former Marylander, patriot, and forever friend, Mary, who now resides in Monroe, Virginia, sent this message: “I feel so honored to live in the area where Thomas Jefferson lived and spend his 83 years shaping this country. I am less than ten miles from his Summer Plantation—Poplar Forest —and 20 miles from Monticello, in Charlottesville. There is so much beauty and history here.

“Jefferson understood history; the nature of God; the human nature of man; and government."

Here are some quotes she shared from the discerning Mr. Jefferson, whose keen judgment and insight are even more prescient today:

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government."  

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States (March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809). Source: Wikipedia

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property—until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

As Mary said, “If only we had a few more men like Jefferson in our government today.”

If only.

June Smith founded this tribute website in honor of her late husband, Ron Smith, WBAL Talk Show Host, Emmy Award winner, and Baltimore Sun Columnist. Smith was a media titan in Maryland and beyond or almost forty years. Mrs. Smith is working diligently to raise one million dollars for the Ron Smith Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund at Johns Hopkins. She blogs for Red Maryland www.RedMaryland.Blogspot.com; her email is june@friendsofronsmith.com.

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ELLEN SAUERBRAY

“The link below is a very easy way to register your thoughts about O’Malley’s gun grab. The entire bill upsets me but the requirement for fingerprinting anyone who buys a simple handgun for self-defense is an absolute outrage.

“As one who had family in Germany when Hitler registered the guns and then confiscated them leaving the people defenseless, I know how dangerous this is.

“Can’t happen here???  

“Wake up!!!

“Use this link to easily contact the ENTIRE House of Delegates:

http://www.associatedgunclubs.org/lesagreement.php

 “ANNAPOLIS RALLY AGAINST GUN GRAB – PEOPLE CONTROL

Lawyers Mall TOMORROW - Tue, Mar 5, 11 am-1 pm.

“Help keep the heat on!”

Tony from Dallastown shared this email he received from the White House on Friday. He says he’s “waiting on the Jedi Mind Meld to get clarification.....”

I’ve taken the liberty of setting it into verse to make it somewhat more palatable for those of us who have grown weary of the endless rhetorical hyperbole:

Starting today, our government

will need to grapple

with a set of arbitrary budget cuts

that will hurt the economy,

make life even harder

for middle-class families,

and threaten our national security.

That’s what Washington means

when it talks about the sequester.  

Not everyone will feel the consequences

of these cuts immediately,

but if sequestration is allowed to continue,

it will make life more difficult

for Americans all across the country.

That’s a fact no one disputes.  

Refrain: That’s what Washington means when it talks about the sequester.

 And the reason we are here

is because some members of Congress

made a choice to prioritize these cuts

over closing tax loopholes for the wealthy

but there is still time for them

to make a different choice

and undo this manufactured crisis.

Refrain: That’s what Washington means when it talks about the sequester.

Today, President Obama discussed this situation

and answered questions from the press.

This is not a win for anybody, he said.

This is a loss for the American people.

Refrain: That’s what Washington means when it talks about the sequester.

June Smith founded this tribute website in honor of her late husband, Ron Smith, WBAL Talk Show Host, Emmy Award winner, and Baltimore Sun Columnist. Smith was a media titan in Maryland and beyond or almost forty years. Mrs. Smith is working diligently to raise one million dollars for the Ron Smith Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund at Johns Hopkins. She blogs for Red Maryland www.RedMaryland.Blogspot.com; her email is june@friendsofronsmith.com.

THE QUOTABLE OBAMA

Speaking on the record about the sequester:

“I am not a dictator, I’m the President.”

“I never want to make myself 100% clear with you guys.”

“Let’s be clear. None of this is necessary.”

 

Photo By Kevin Lamarque / Reuters/Reuters

“I am prepared to do hard things and push my Democratic friends to do hard things.”

“Sometimes I reflect, you know, is there something else I could do to make these guys — I’m not talking about the leaders now, but maybe some of the House Republican caucus members — not paint horns on my head?”

“There is a caucus of common sense up on Capitol Hill. Right now, it’s just silent.”

“I’m going to keep pushing for high quality pre-school for every family that wants it.”

"It's happening because Republicans in Congress chose this outcome over closing a single wasteful tax loophole that helps reduce the deficit."

“There will be no easy off ramps on this one.”

June Smith founded this tribute website in honor of her late husband, Ron Smith, WBAL Talk Show Host, Emmy Award winner, and Baltimore Sun Columnist. Smith was a media titan in Maryland and beyond or almost forty years. Mrs. Smith is working diligently to raise one million dollars for the Ron Smith Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund at Johns Hopkins. She blogs for Red Maryland www.RedMaryland.Blogspot.com; her email is june@friendsofronsmith.com.