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Don't Tell Me It Can't Be Done

Don't tell me it can't be done.....

Time for a little history lesson.

John Kennedy once said to an assembled group of scholars in the White House, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible 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

In light of the present financial crisis, it's interesting to read what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

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.

Doesn't this sound eerily familar to what is happening in America today?

Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President of the United States. He and John Adams were most responsible for the writing of our Declaration of Independence. They were very good friends when they were working together on the Declaration of Independence but later became mortal enemies when one became a Republican and one a Federalist.

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. Thomas Jefferson

I will not be guilty of being silent. Will you?

Don't tell me it can't be done...we can return to our Liberty and Self Government.

Posted by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate on 10/15/2009 08:47 PM

Comments (66)

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thomas jefferson, thankful thursdays

Originally posted at: Ann Arbor Undressed : Don't Tell Me It Can't Be Done

Post is included in group: Thankful Thursdays
Post is included in group: Silent Majority

66 Comments on Don't Tell Me It Can't Be Done

OCT

We are going down a path we have never gone done before. It will be interesting which way the path will turn

Missy - John Adams and Thomas Jefferson renewed their friendship at the end. The died just minutes apart speaking to each other from different parts of the nation. How spiritual that is. That was our founding fathers.

Great post. I only wish that a few in the leadership of our country and communities would heed his advice. Thanks for sharing.

Very inspirational and very powerful, Missy. We could learn a lot from our founding fathers, but we have become a society of entitlement and that is something that is not easily changed. Unfortunately, I think it will take an economic crisis such as this for people to stand up and do something about it. Thanks for sharing.

Missy, Great reminder of OUR responsibilities. We are the government, and just need to all do our part. I wrote a post a few days ago on a similar topic. As long as we look to DC or to our neighbors to bring about change, we'll continue on a dark and perhaps dangerous path.

Missy, we have visited Monticello twice in the past two years and just being on the grounds of Thomas Jefferson's home is highly inspirational. I have some beautiful photos that you have inspired me to post. Yes, as Nicholas said, they died on the same day - that day was July 4, 1826, when Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of our founding fathers, passed into eternity.

We cannot be silent. We must continue to speak out and contact our elected officials who will hear us - sometimes only because they fear not being re-elected.

We are at a crossroads and we must do our part for future generations - for our children and grandchildren.

Missy, We live in the greatest country on earth and it can be done. Have you ever read Common Sense by Thomas Payne? My daughter said it was wonderful. It is next on my list that is once I get finished with Atlas Shrugged.

Nicholas, I knew that...I forgot. It was amazing wasn't it how they died so close together.

The interesting thing going on is that they argued and debated for MONTHS to get it right. Now one of the biggest changes about to occur in our country is being done in the back room.

Marchel, yes I read it about a year ago, it is fascinating. Glenn Beck has a modern version of it, which I am reading now and that is in the back so I will read it again.

Sharon, please do.

Lina, I think people are waking up, folks who could have cared less are now the most active.

John, yes we are the government...but most don't think that way. The government doesn't make wealth they only spend it.

Gary, IF they would just review the documents. They were written for our future and posterity. The pearls of wisdom lay in them, they are inspiring. Oh if only...

Missy,

Great collection!

It's to bad that the extremes of today's society the scholars and the ignorant don't understand. If we're diligent there may be hope for the ignorant

Bill

Missy, I asked a gal today if she had read Common Sense and she brought up Glenn Beck. I said no Thomas Payne. Her comment now make sense. I guess I need to add Glenn Becks book to my mix. We just bought Arguing with Idiots. My husband is reading it while recovering from knee surgery.

Missy - It is amazing to read these quotes and see how much they relate to what is going on today. It's almost as if our founding fathers could forsee the future. I pray for my children and grandchildren every day and hope that we can leave them with a better life, liberty and freedom.

The fact that Thomas jefferson was so much ahead of his time, is really amazing. It's too bad that we would never tolerate that type of thinking now.

Missy - I love that John Kennedy quote. Outside of a few imperfections (which we all have), he and Mr. Jefferson seem to be two of the greater lads that roamed this planet we live on.

And I'm by no means silent. Just ask my undergarments:)

Missy, To think the quotes and advice are over 200 years old. Perhaps we do need to look to the past - the more distance past - to see our future more clearly. Super post.

Hi Missy, This is marvelous. Now when it comes to banking, this quote is certainly understood by those of us in real estate who have a bit of experience. "Banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies" . In fact, I think there are a lot of homeowners previous homeowners who would definitely agree with this.

Missy,

I enjoyed the quotes. These are scary times for sure and you are right about remaining silent..nothing good will come of that.

OCT

Missy: We ARE on our way back to Liberty and Self-Government. We got a great start when we threw out the Bush-Cheney-Wolfowitz-Ashcroft-Rumsfeld bunch. They had a major impact on the taking away of so many freedoms during their eight tragic years in power.

Do you really think what Bush/Cheney and friends did to our wonderful country was really what Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had in mind ?

Missy,

Wonderful post, thank you.

Lina - you may be wrong here. Yes, usually crisis opens the eyes, unites people, teaches them the lesson. This time the government does not want to "waste the perfect crisis", and they are working just on the opposite.

Karen Anne - there is a big difference between the Bush-Cheney "bunch" and Obama. While the "bunch" was not liked by many, they were moving in the same general direction as Jefferson. Obama is very charming person moving in completely opposite direction. Nice talk will not bring freedom. Big government will not bring freedom. Smart people and great orators mean only that they are smart people. Has nothing to do with out freedom. Has a lot to do with us losing it at an alarming speed, and so many refuse to see and understand it. Poor never have freedom, it is a myth. Wasting money is hurting the freedom. Where do you see him doing anything that is what people want? Just a small step? he is a destroyer, and because he is so likable, it will take time before we all see it. And before we stop him. And here is the danger.

Thanks for this. Jefferson was a Renaissance Man, whose thoughts were before his time. I think he is as much of a father of our nation as GW.

Can you imagine how fascinating it would have been if he had a blog?

Powerful post here Missy. The only thing that pops into my mind when I read this is the Beatles song, "Long and Winding Road"...

Helping you live your American dream...

Re-posted from a comment on a re-blog:

Jefferson and Adams did reconcile very late in life...and died on the same day: July 4, 1826.

Jefferson's real enmity was reserved for Alexander Hamilton - who was a strong supporter of banks.

The debate over banking was still in full swing when the two Presidents died.

The way the banks have been treating credit card customers - increasing rates before new federal rules take effect next year - even cardholders who have never been late - shows that at the very top, our big banks are led by thieves.

Both Jefferson and Adams would be up in arms about banks today.

I'd love to see the source for the Jefferson quote about banking institutions.

Karen Anne, In answer to your question, first let me say about President Bush, his last few years were horrible. This is not about Republicans or Democrats, it is about BOTH parties expanding the role of Government in our lives.

What is President Obama doing or done to take us back to the role of Self Government in our lives? I am serious please just name one thing that you fell he has done to restore us the thinking of our Founding Fathers?

Every President IMO has increased the size of Government.

The one who "slowed" us down most was Ronald Reagan. Progressive thought has been dominating our society since Franklin Roosevelt.

J Phili, we we don't need blogs...everything they said is out there and recorded for posterity. Problem is they wrote at a much higher level and we read at I think a 6th grade level.

Larry, I believe because of the level of insite Jefferson and our Founding Fathers had they were thinking of the future and wrote for future generations to keep the Republic in tack. They knew what Government control could do to that Republican form of Gov't. Not the Republican party but the form of Gov't we were founded upon.

I always enjoy TJ's wisdom and your insight Missy!
Your friend in Washington State,
Paul

Jim Hale, the sources are here:

http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/Private_Banks_%28Quotation%29

I have read through all these, including your comments back. A lot of good debate out there. I enjoyed the quotes, still pondering the words left by bloggers.

Missy, I'm praying for heart transplants. That the hearts of our Founding Fathers will be in our Leaders today. I know I'm asking for a miracle,LOL. That's why they call it praying.

Pretty scary how on point he is with this wisdom, and we need to do something NOW, before it is too late to keep these liberties!

Missy - excellent post, the more I learn about Jefferson, the more impressed that I become, he was very prescient, or maybe just had a lot of common sense. I keep challenging those who keep parrotting the charges against Bush and Cheney to specifically list those freedoms supposedly lost during those terms. I have yet to see one.

Jefferson was a wise man. Will be interesting to see how history treats Obama.

OCT

Wonderful discovery the blog that you wrote on Thomas Jefferson. I have one comment for Mike Saunders, one huge freedom lost about 1 year ago was operation "Head Start" my mother was a schoolteacher that served during the Head Start years and cared deeply for education for all. She would have been very disappointed in the cancellation of Head Start. It had a great effect that we see in society, employment, opportunity....I could go on and on.

Wonderful and inspiring non political compendium of things to remember, for all Americans.

Missy- Thank you for writing this timely and thought provoking historical retrospective. It is a reminder of where we began, and the ideology that made America a great Nation. We need to go back to our roots and remember it is "We, the people"

Missy - What a wonderful post to read while drinking morning coffee on a rainy day in Maryland!! We tend, as a generation, to forget the lessons of History and are thus, doomed to repeat them. We have seen many revolutionary changes in our time that have made many arrogant and feel that we know better then the original intent of the Founding Fathers. When in fact, these changes we have witnessed, are dwarfed by the accomplishments of the 13 colonies against the Mightiest nation in the world at their time.....Is there another History lesson there?

Missy, WOW WOW WOW...great post I am reblogging this...great advice now if only our leaders would read this and take the advice...not going to happen I am afraid.

Thomas Jefferson was a very wise man ...

Great post with a great reminder that some great and wise men founded this country.

Hi Missy...Along with reading Glenn Beck's version of Atlas Shrugged another good book would be Grapes of Wrath. Perhaps this book reflects some of the struggles many are going through right now.

We are faced with an economy that has left many jobless, you see it much more than I do, and what entity is there to help them?

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

We have many that are willing to work but can not because of staggering unemployment. If that means I, who have more, need to help more I am willing.

I believe you when you say this is not about the Republicans or the Democrats yet I wonder why so many posts have been written, since President Obama took office, that talk about big government and the fear of losing our freedoms. Many accepted the Patriot Act and other measures taken by the prior administraton because they believed that was for the good of the country. Perhaps the measures being taken today are also. Time will tell in both cases.

Thank you for providing a forum this morning for me to express my belief that I am not frightened that my rights are being stripped from me.

We are in a very tough situation and it takes drastic steps to right the course. If anyone has ideas that will do that differently than what is being done I urge you to contact your congressmen and the administration and to share those ides with others. Simply saying that bigger government is being foisted upon us for no good purpose is not providing an alternative.

Kate

Hi Missy! You know I love your history lessons and this one certainly does make us realize what a wonderful country we live in--very motivating!

Great references. We have drifted so far away from our founding fathers views I don't think they would even recognize our country today. We are losing our freedoms very rapidly. I never dreamed I would wake up and our government would own GM, Chrysler, large banks, and try to take over our healthcare system and ram cap and trade down our throats. We are supposed to have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, not redistribution of wealth aka Marxism.

Its time for our elected officials on both sides of the aisle to actually read the constitution and the bills they sign into law. The United States is supposed to be just that - a collection of sovereign states with a loose federal government to provide protection, not a enormous federal government telling the states what to do. Read the book Liberty and Tyranny!

Missy.. Our forefathers were BRILLIANT. They are probably rolling over in their graves with the way this country is now. We need to make them proud again.

valerie osterhoudt

Thanks for the history lesson Missy. Yes, we are drifting away from the principles our country was founded on. We need to go back to the basics, I agree with Team Knowles (post #40).

Linda Metallo, Re/max Impact, Lockport, Il.

Powerful stuff Missy. I'm afraid he's right. History repeats itself and we are teetering on another disaster. I enjoyed this thoroughly.

Deb

Missy - I have seen a number of quotes from Mr. Jefferson recently. It's amazing to see how prescient he was on matters that affect us today.

Wow Missy, thank you for sharing all of those quotes with us. It is scary how so many of our citizens are following the leadership of this country into what could possibly be the end of the liberties that our founding fathers died to give us!

Kate, I didn't know Glenn Beck has an Atlas Shrugged book? What is the name of it?

In my opinion, the Free Market System would get people back to work. Not being encumbered with high taxes would allow more people to give freely from their labors to help the less fortunate. Even with the high taxes, we are the most giving Nation in the world.

The situation is Michigan is 2 fold: The Unions every year demanding more and more, which includes the legacy costs. What is legacy costs?

Here is an example from one of my clients this year:

They are in their 40's.

Her dad worked for one of the Big 3 and retire.

He passed away and his wife was able to live on his pension. This is good and fair.

Now mom has passed away and his daugher (my client is 40) and other daugher both are still paid from dad's pension. Wrong IMO.

It adds to the cost of the car and ultimately to the the consumer.

The next thing is the top heavy executives, who didn't listen to the consumers when they started in the 70's to demand more fuel efficient cars.

Thus a restructuring of the industry at the top and a closing of plants.

In Michigan multiple smaller companies (vendors) supplied the auto makers with all kinds of widgets. As the Big 3 Restructured, (lay offs) it closed many other small business and corporations, the trickle down theory.

Kate, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your perspective and adding to the dialog. I just happen to think it is time to return to our Founding Fathers wisdom and the documents they crafted.

...and this includes NOT just one party but BOTH of them. BOTH have been giving more power and control to the Federal Government than was originally the plan.

We have a high business tax in Michigan and thus it is hard for companies to relocate here.

Missy- The reason that Thomas Jefferson knows his stuff is not that he could see into the future- which he could well have been endowed with that gift- but rather that he learned from history. This stuff keeps coming back, it keeps happening, just they call it by a different name.

The banking quote is so relevant and I am watching while others call it a conspiracy theory- the largest takeover of private business and private home ownership ever.

Does not anyone read the government's loan mod documents and refi documents? You are going into partnership in ownership with the government.

Sometimes it is better to just say No.

You are right, you can thank the unions for the mess in Michigan! And they are on a roll for a lot more destruction of the working people so they can line their pockets with hard earned cash from their members.

Hmmm, have you noticed, that members get screwed by their groups lately, the sell outs like the unions, NAR and AARP? Did you know that they sit up there on the hill and promise each other crap that we don't know about and we just let it happen? I just found out that gov't promised that if AARP would back the health care plan that the gov't would get rid of the medicaid gap payments. Do you know who is the biggest seller of GAP insurance for seniors? You got it, AARP!

Hi Missy...My mistake. You must have been referring to Glenn Beck having a version of Common Sense not Atlas Shrugged As I do not pay attention to what Glenn Beck has to say or what he would possibly write I am not up on him other than to think he needs to use some Common Sense. And for the record, I have watched him. I did until I realized he was saying outrageous things in order to make money (a very worthy endeavor but hardly one to base my opinions on) and to stir up nothing but trouble.

As far as having to always look to the past for wisdom, what does that say about our country. Is there no one with common sense any more? No one that wants the best for our country? No one that has constructive ideas? I believe there are.

For every case of a wrong by the unions, such as your illustration, one can site an abuse by business that has created the mess we are in.

Who or what is there to monitor what the unions and the corporate world are doing to address these problems? If there is another solution, other than our government, we need to know about it because we desperately need help.

Missy, in spite of our different perspectives, I am so happy that we can have this dialogue and still have kind feelings and respect for one another. I certainly do for you and I sense that you do for me.

Kate

The answer has been and always has been to allow the free markets to move. This is not political. This did not even start with FDR. It was well in the works for big government that started with a Republican actually- Teddy Roosevelt. Read his thoughts very scary. Woodrow Wilson and Hoover were both for big government. There is so much you can learn from these men's writings to make sense of how we got to where we are today. The only person who spoke up against it all was Reagan. That is one guy since Coolidge.

Jon makes a great point. The poor will never be free.The only way a poor person can be free is to rise out of their poverty in their mindset first, their thought process and then stop being a victim and become empowered to change their lives. I can speak from this, because I had to resort to stealing tuna cans and sardines when I was a little girl to curb my awful hunger pains.

Why are people in all these socialist countries running to our country? Why do we have a problem with immigration and yet we don't see people from the US swarming to other countries because they want socialism so badly?

I read a comment on another post that we are the only country that is not socialist and that means we are the only stupid ones. No, that is far from the truth. The socialist countries are trying like mad to get out of socialism because it does not work. England's socialist party in power lost by a landslide. People won't put it up with it forever. France and Germany both are trying to change back to free markets and capitalism. These very countries living like this are begging us not to. Why? Because their money is over here working for them. Hmmm, something to think about. China- communist in government embraces capitalism in economics- why would they do that after years of socialism? Because it works, it makes their people produce goods and services.

Missy - Thomas Jefferson was and continues to be such an inspiration to me. My husband and I actually had a permit from the National Park Service to get married on the field right in front of the Memorial in Washington DC (called the Tidal Basin) except that Hurricane Ivan had other ideas. I prayed for the rain to stop at the wedding rehearsal, and I got that. What I forgot to pray for (as well) was for the wind to stop. We reluctantly moved indoors to our "backup location".

Thomas Jefferson was an incredible man with great depth of understanding that I can scarcely describe. The path that our government is on scares me and makes me wonder what will be left for my children when they are grown. I feel like we are turning into France.

Missy It isn't the country that makes the difference, it's the countymen. TJ has long been my favorite Virginians Karen

To poster #48, thanks for clearing up that you think Glenn Beck was a bit out there. I wasn't sure from your post.

Awesome! Love it! What happened to government of the people, by the people, for the people? I think we have gotten way off course and it is time to right the course of this great ship!

Christianne, what a shame and all I can say is you must love him to want to get married there. WOW

Kate, of course I respect you. Honestly I didn't mention Beck at all in this post, although I did write one a month, a year ago? on the 12 principals. I believe that no debate in Un-American. Only when you are afraid of truth do you attempt to silence debate. After all the Founding Fathers debated and argued and presented their views for months before writing the Declaration and then the Constitution.

Compromises were made, some good, some not so good. (Slavery)

BOTH parties have betrayed our Founding principals.

Katerina, comment #49 very true.

Timeless statements, without a doubt and resonates very deeply as I have grave concerns for the big, huge, fat, and unthinkable mess we are leaving the next generation. I do wonder how the globalness of society today and instant communications would have altered his writing today as no country is an island to itself anymore.

Hi Missy. I like what Katerina wrote about the poor getting themselves out of poverty first with mindset. In my experience... this is sooo true. I was very poor and crawled my way out.

"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. Thomas Jefferson"

This applies to so much. For me I am very active with Hawaiian issues and admire and like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Much of what they said and did back then applies to Hawaiian issues as well so in that respect it can be applied to so much more than just politics or even the economy.

~ Lana

It's inspirational to remember all the great leaders of our country. Looks like Jefferson dealt with similar issues in his times. Good thing he remembered to invest in real estate!

Missy, top notch blog! Thank you for this excellent reminder. I figured the leftists here would come out and attack you and it would start a big cat fight. Glad to see that didn't happen! And for the record, I agree with you...Bush wasn't all that great and Obama isn't either. In fact, thanks to Bush I'm now an independent!

Missy, from those quotes it is apparent Thomas Jefferson had an excellent mind.

I'm disgusted by both political parties. The GOP had a great opportunity, and instead of doing what they had spent years talking about, they created $5trillion dollar in additional debt. All of this while the federal revenues were growiing by leaps and bounds from the tax cuts that pulled us out of the Clinton Recession.

Now the Democrats are doubling down...

None of them pay attention to history. Either that, or they assume they are above reality.

Lane, me too!

Bob, yes to you too...I am voting for men with principals and no more pulling the Ticket.

Great quotes from a man full of wisdom.

Less government, less regulation - perhaps we would have a healthier country.

OCT

The more I learn about our Forefathers, the more I realize how brilliant they truly were. They did learn a lot about history and tried their best to create a document that would protect us from ourselves.

Thanks for this post. I've often wondered how many times Jefferson has turned over in his grave because of what this country has become.

Our founding fathers had a deep faith in God...... Now our government leaders think they are God.

I'm off to church to pray that our leaders turn back to Him. Have a blessed day.

OCT

Missy,

You realize that by sounding "American" you are actually sounding un-American? How is that for irony.

Thanks for this great post (I particularily loved the Kennedy quote). I'm going to go ahead and reblog this one, for sure,

John

OCT

"I will not be guilty of being silent. Will you?"

Hehe. Uhm, no.

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