What Would They Think?

[Lord Bitememan]

You ever heard someone make the brilliant observation of “What would the founding fathers think” of some random aspect of modern life? Most people probably didn’t think that one through too much when they said it. Thankfully, I’m here to tell you exactly what they would think, and it might not be what you were expecting. . .

George Washington: “What’s Iraq? And why are the BRITISH helping us OCCUPY it?”

Benjamin Franklin: “You’ll never believe this wonderful little thing they have. It’s a blue pill that makes the minute man stand at attention.”

John Adams: “David McCullough is the only enlightened man to live in your entire generation.”

John Hancock: “No I’m not related to a man named Herbie. And quit asking for my damn signature!”

Elbridge Gerry: “I really wish you’d rename that whole thing about selective drawing of congressional districts. . . Fredmandering. . . for example.”

James Wilson: “I was the most preeminent legal and political philosopher in 18th century America and I was thrown in prison on a $1000 debt. Why the ******** is Bob Novak still free today.”

John Marshall: “The shovel? I just saw ‘The People’s Court,’ so I figured I’d go dig up my body and roll it around a few times in its grave.”

John Jay: “I co-wrote the Federalist Papers. . . no, you’re thinking of James Madison. Well I was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. . . no, you’re thinking of John Marshall. No, my middle initial is not also a ‘J.”"

Alexander Hamilton: “Your lips say yes, but your debt says you didn’t read a ******** thing I wrote about the financing of a nation.”

Aaron Burr: “d**k Cheney shot a man in the face. . . . AND????”

Robert Morris: “I’d like to second Hamilton up there and add that this applies to war funding as well.”

Samuel Adams: “You know. . . I brewed a lot more tea than I ever did beer.”

Roger Sherman: “Goddammit, they finally did go with paper money!”

John Witherspoon: “Somebody get me some tar, some feathers, and this schmuck Michael Newdow. Incidentally, will people please stop reminding me that my great, great, great, great, great, great, great granddaughter is ‘hot.’”

James Madison: “Hillary Clinton could learn a thing or two from my wife.”

And last but not least-
Thomas Jefferson: “You mean it’s legal to marry black women now! Sweet!!”  

[DanskiWolf]

Funny stuff. lol  

[stareyed_in_LA]

The John Witherspoon quote really made me laugh. I wonder what would happen if we gave this guy a copy of "Legally Blonde."  

[Twizzle Dizzle Red]

I don't think they would find any of this funny. I think they would cry at the absolute ineptness of govt now and also the people because they do find this kind of thing entertaining when it in fact I think, is precisely why we are losing our freedom bit by bit each time you turn around.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

Lily Starr

I don't think they would find any of this funny. I think they would cry at the absolute ineptness of govt now and also the people because they do find this kind of thing entertaining when it in fact I think, is precisely why we are losing our freedom bit by bit each time you turn around.

They would be anything but. They would be proud that we are the wealthiest, and powerful nation and have kept the freedom the people want. Majority still rules, and will rule for all of the existence of the USA. Even though you might feel as if you may not be free, the people voted and said what they felt, and now it is your duty if you want to change it back... however Majority will rule, and as long as it stays this way, and as long as each man is equal, our Founding Father's will be bad-a** proud! If they wanted the government to stay the way it was, they would not have added a section in the constitution for the amending of the constitution!

Losing Freedom? Poppycock! We are gaining freedom. Each decade the minority is gaining more equality. 150years ago Slavery Abolition 80-100years ago Woman's Rights 40-60years ago Black Rights 20-30years ago Race Equality 0-10years Gay Rights. We are becoming more free if anything. The government you seem to strive for exists in a mix of the Vatican and Hong Kong... an authoritarian pseudo-theodemocracy!  

[Lord Bitememan]

Quote:

I don't think they would find any of this funny. I think they would cry at the absolute ineptness of govt now and also the people because they do find this kind of thing entertaining when it in fact I think, is precisely why we are losing our freedom bit by bit each time you turn around.

Jesus is everybody in Oklahoma a humorless prig or is it just you. For your information, Ben Franklin was a very jovial man and was renown for his sense of humor. He was also very practical when it came to the condition of man, he realized how very imperfect we all were. He would have had a blast seeing both this time and the people from his own lampooned, particularly since we was not all that humiliated in his own. Lighten up toots. If you can't take a joke you're not going to get very far in life.  

[Twizzle Dizzle Red]

Do any of you realize that the ten planks of the communist manifesto are in operation today? Do you even care? Do you know what they are?  

[Lord Bitememan]

That's very nice that you saw fit to come in from the corn field, take your tin foil hat off, and share that with us. Now go on and play dear.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

Lily Starr

Do any of you realize that the ten planks of the communist manifesto are in operation today? Do you even care? Do you know what they are?

1. Abolition of private property and the application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communications and transportation in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state, the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries, gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production.


Hmmm... let's talk about this "Ten Planks" and the US Constitution

Section 8 of the US Constitution

Quote:

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;...

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes...

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;...

The legislation has the ability to tax commerce as it pleases. Paychecks are a transfer of monetary value (therefore they are commerce.) Aside from this the sixteenth amendment allows the taxation of income.

The basic overview of the constitution is that our Founding Fathers were smart enough to understand that times will change... so they added an amendment section to the constitution. If our representatives decide that we want to use one of these "communism planks" then so be it, then according to them we were represented! If we don't feel represented, we vote in new people, or we call for a petition. Aside from that, this is hysteria given by conservatives, similar to the liberal "global warming" appeal to fear. We were always a mixed economy. Laissez-faire doesn't work perfectly, neither does socialism (ask the USSR or 1700's France.) We are something in the middle, which is why we are called a Mixed Economy. Hong Kong has the most "Free" Market and North Korea the least "Free" Market. So to remind you, we are a democratic republic... we vote our representatives to vote for us, or we vote directly at times. Majority rules here. You want change make it, however, it looks like this is what America wants, if it wasn't you'd see voting towards more laissez-faire at this point, and petitions for our ballots! Aside from this, number 10 on the list only seems reasonable, every child deserves a fair chance, why would that be a bad thing?  

[Lord Bitememan]

I would address whether or not we are a communist society but for the fact that it is totally off topic. The topic of this thread is random goofiness about our founding fathers, not philosophical vs. practical communism.  

[Pumona]

Lord Bitememan

You ever heard someone make the brilliant observation of “What would the founding fathers think” of some random aspect of modern life? Most people probably didn’t think that one through too much when they said it. Thankfully, I’m here to tell you exactly what they would think, and it might not be what you were expecting. . .

George Washington: “What’s Iraq? And why are the BRITISH helping us OCCUPY it?”

Benjamin Franklin: “You’ll never believe this wonderful little thing they have. It’s a blue pill that makes the minute man stand at attention.”

John Adams: “David McCullough is the only enlightened man to live in your entire generation.”

John Hancock: “No I’m not related to a man named Herbie. And quit asking for my damn signature!”

Elbridge Gerry: “I really wish you’d rename that whole thing about selective drawing of congressional districts. . . Fredmandering. . . for example.”

James Wilson: “I was the most preeminent legal and political philosopher in 18th century America and I was thrown in prison on a $1000 debt. Why the ******** is Bob Novak still free today.”

John Marshall: “The shovel? I just saw ‘The People’s Court,’ so I figured I’d go dig up my body and roll it around a few times in its grave.”

John Jay: “I co-wrote the Federalist Papers. . . no, you’re thinking of James Madison. Well I was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. . . no, you’re thinking of John Marshall. No, my middle initial is not also a ‘J.”"

Alexander Hamilton: “Your lips say yes, but your debt says you didn’t read a ******** thing I wrote about the financing of a nation.”

Aaron Burr: “d**k Cheney shot a man in the face. . . . AND????”

Robert Morris: “I’d like to second Hamilton up there and add that this applies to war funding as well.”

Samuel Adams: “You know. . . I brewed a lot more tea than I ever did beer.”

Roger Sherman: “Goddammit, they finally did go with paper money!”

John Witherspoon: “Somebody get me some tar, some feathers, and this schmuck Michael Newdow. Incidentally, will people please stop reminding me that my great, great, great, great, great, great, great granddaughter is ‘hot.’”

James Madison: “Hillary Clinton could learn a thing or two from my wife.”

And last but not least-
Thomas Jefferson: “You mean it’s legal to marry black women now! Sweet!!”

Great stuff there LB.  

[Pumona]

Losing Freedom? Poppycock! We are gaining freedom. Each decade the minority is gaining more equality. 150years ago Slavery Abolition 80-100years ago Woman's Rights 40-60years ago Black Rights 20-30years ago Race Equality 0-10years Gay Rights. We are becoming more free if anything. The government you seem to strive for exists in a mix of the Vatican and Hong Kong... an authoritarian pseudo-theodemocracy!

You are correct we are alot better at being a Nation now then way back. I would much rather live in this country then any other also.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

Pumona

Quote:

Losing Freedom? Poppycock! We are gaining freedom. Each decade the minority is gaining more equality. 150years ago Slavery Abolition 80-100years ago Woman's Rights 40-60years ago Black Rights 20-30years ago Race Equality 0-10years Gay Rights. We are becoming more free if anything. The government you seem to strive for exists in a mix of the Vatican and Hong Kong... an authoritarian pseudo-theodemocracy!

You are correct we are alot better at being a Nation now then way back. I would much rather live in this country then any other also.

^_^; Yeah. I love the USA.

@LB - Yeah, this thread lost it's meaning xD  

[Pumona]

Rainbowfied Mouse

Pumona

Quote:

Losing Freedom? Poppycock! We are gaining freedom. Each decade the minority is gaining more equality. 150years ago Slavery Abolition 80-100years ago Woman's Rights 40-60years ago Black Rights 20-30years ago Race Equality 0-10years Gay Rights. We are becoming more free if anything. The government you seem to strive for exists in a mix of the Vatican and Hong Kong... an authoritarian pseudo-theodemocracy!

You are correct we are alot better at being a Nation now then way back. I would much rather live in this country then any other also.

^_^; Yeah. I love the USA.

@LB - Yeah, this thread lost it's meaning xD

I don't think that is a totally bad thing (losing it's meaning) it just makes it more intersting.