Sunday, January 01, 2012

1796 Meets 2012 and 2016


Recent years' US contentious,unproductive and partisan
politics made me seek comfort with my two old companions (Education and History) to get an understanding of what the recent political gridlock was all about.
History (defined as," Inquiry,knowledge,acquired by investigation" at
wikipedia.org)
led this old hoboclown detective's investigation to the September 17,1796 George Washington's Farewell Address ( at www.bartleby.com/43/24.html)

In that historical document,I learned that George Washington was not only an outgoing US President but somewhat of a philosopher with an eye toward the future.This particular excerpt from the "Address" described the potential destructiveness of political parties and makes my point,
" 17...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 enter-
prising 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 incongrous projects of faction,
rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by
common counsels, and modified by mutual interests."

Somehow,the former President foresaw the problems that would beset the
fledgeling nation and offered his counsel at that time.
The nagging question is whether old George heard all the
2011 and 2016 partisan political commotion in Washington, DC and the nation ?

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