An act of arrogance

[NJCubScouter]

emb, the funny thing I've found about quotes from the Founding Fathers is that for every quote someone digs up to make a point, there is likely to be an equal and opposite quote from the same Founder that could be used to support an opposing point. I suspect there are quotes from both Adams and Jefferson that are more favorable to the idea of government by elected representatives, though probably not using the word "democracy", which was not in vogue at the time.

 

Also, the quote attributed to Ben Franklin seemed a little fishy to me so I looked it up and at least at one site, it is listed as being "misattributed" to Franklin. http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin Note that the word "lunch" was not even in use when Franklin was alive and being quotable. The quote actually is of much more recent origin.

 

And then there is Winston Churchill, who said "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others." (Well, I thought he said that, it's actually a paraphrase of: "Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill But close enough.)

 

Of course, this assumes that I can believe what I read on the Internet! But when a statement on the web comes along with some research, as these do, I find it much easier to believe than a "loose quote" that is thrown around. Ben Franklin, in particular, is often quoted as saying all kinds of things that he never said. I guess he said so much that people over the years figured nobody would notice if they threw in a few more quotes.

[acco40]

I didn't elect my congressman to be a "polling machine." They should think for themself (ideally sequestered in a room for two years with no access to lobbyist, polls or their constituents). After that time frame, their constituents could decide if the decisions made warrant a re-election.

[Eagle92]

Acco,

I have to respectfully disagree with you in referecne to our congresscritters. For those congresscritters in the House of Reps., they should be listening to the voices of their constituents, but not the lobbyists. That his how the Founding Fathers wanted it as shown by the two year terms and apportionment based upon population.

 

Now for those those congresscritters in the Senate, I have to agree with you, except they need to be sequestered away from everyone for 6 years After all Senators were originally appointed by the states and not elected.

[maurergj]

Interesting comments. I'm currently teaching the Citizenship in the Nation MB and am emphasising that our government is a Republic. That means that our representatives are allowed to vote their own opinion. Believe the House Reps are elected every two years so that they can be quickly fired if they don't pay attention to the polls. The Senate, not so much. I don't favor the health bill as it is and I'll be voting to fire my Rep in 2010. But he's got the right to vote any way he wants and I don't believe it's an act of arrogance any more than staying in Afghanistan is an act of arrogance.