Same Time Quotes
This famous Jefferson quotation is often used by those who argue that Jefferson’s concept of freedom and liberty was inherently and necessarily connected to the concept of God despite his strong and passionate writings advocating the separation of church and state. Opponents of that point of view, argue that the Rights of British America was a political document written to enlist and increase public support for Jefferson’s notions of freedom and liberty. At the time, as today, most Americans were deists, and they argue that just because Jefferson appealed to the popular perception of the day to promote his ideas, does not mean that a supreme being was fundamental to Jefferson’s philosophy. It is probably the case however, that Jefferson, like other founders such as John Adams, and many modern people, had different views on this subject at different times in their lives and never were absolutely sure of the existence of or necessity of a supreme being.
Referring to Gerald R. Ford: The quotation is usually cleaned up by substitutiong the word "walk" for "fart". Ford was actually a very bright man, but had an unassuming style that was vulnerable to negative characterization.
This is one of the best summaries of Lincoln’s early strategic thinking about the war. Unfortunately for him and the country, his generals were all trained in tactics rather than strategy. And the then modern world placed industry, logistics, and economics on a par with battlefield tactics. Until Generals Grant and Sherman were elevated to higher command, there were no military leaders who thought about the war in overall strategic terms. Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman in a sense created the first strategic approach to modern warfare.
In his economic view, managers, accountants, attorneys, owners, shareholders, landlords, were all supported by the workers who have to support themselves and all the others.
The distinction between recreational drinking and heavy drinking is a subtle one and rarely made until modern times. Most leaders who would not have heavy drinkers in positions of responsibility were usually themselves teetotalers and they were very rare. Heavy drinkers and alcoholics have been in positions of responsibility throughout history including modern times—eg House Ways & Means Chairman Wilbur Mills and Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Peter was unusual in that he made the distinction.
1st Viscount Snowden. This quotation is particularly interesting in that we have an early 20th century socialist acknowledging that one of the objectives of Socialism is to increase the individual’s dependency on the state. By the late 19th century, few socialists if any saw this as an objective of socialism. However, this dependency objective is one of the attack points of conservatives who assume that this is a result of socialism whether or not it was intended.
