Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Father of our Country remembered

Today marks the 208th birthday of America's first president, George Washington. Known as the Father of our Country, our first commander-in-chief, who served in America's War for Independence, remains one of the most respected president's in U.S. history. He set the precedent.

I look back at last year's in-depth look at some of Washington's fundamental ideals, and decided that considering the decision we're faced with this year, I thought it might be beneficial to pull one quote from that post and take a second look:

“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. 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."