# John F Kennedy on Thomas Jefferson



## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

A voice from the past to lead us in the future:

John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.
Thomas Jefferson

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

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.
Thomas Jefferson

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. 
Thomas Jefferson

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

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

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

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. 
Thomas Jefferson

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

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:
"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."


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

excellent, except I would have one disagreement with him. We are not a democracy, but a republic. Democracies become corrupt much easier than republics.



> When asked what type of government the American people were going to participate in, by a well-meaning woman, a stern Benjamin Franklin warned that our new government was going to be "A republic, madam, if you can keep it."
> 
> Can we preserve our great country or will the American government be irretrievably lost to the special interests who would dare to use our country for their own ends, regardless of the cost.
> 
> ...


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

The ones Kennedy was comparing to Jefferson were all Nobel Prize winners....and we could sure use another Jefferson right about now. Heck, at this point I'd take another Kennedy, as long as his first name wasn't Ted :wink:

JFK was actually more conservative than many who call themselves such now. Can you imagine any democrat nowadays saying ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country....and actually _meaning_ it?

I think not


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> Can you imagine any democrat nowadays saying ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country....and actually meaning it?


Those same thoughts run through my head. I also thought today's democrats vote liberal because of what the candidate tells them they will have their country do for them. That's what it's all about for liberals. Some disguise it as if they were kind and doing it for someone else. "Oh we want to help the poor". The poor that have been voting democrat for 50 years are still poor, why?


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