Someone already did....
Posted on 07/02/2011 7:22:40 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA
Currently, 79% say no.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcall.com ...
81% NO now!!
They’d be horrified.
YES (559 responses)
24%
NO (1769 responses)
76%
2328 total responses
Well Mrs. Powell, I guess you couldn't.
If the Founding Fathers were Marx and Engels, yes.
Jefferson and the Good Guys, not so much.
They must be doing breakdancing in there graves over how this country’s government has become.
The America of their day consisted of three million souls. That's it. Half of the continent was owned by European powers who felt that these ridiculous colonies would, in short order, find it too difficult to survive in a cynical and violent world without the parental protection of an established power. They had no historically valid reason to think otherwise.
Take a look, for just a moment. Lay aside the rightful outrage at a federal government that has, after all, done no other than follow the age-old pattern of central governments since Sumeria. Postpone the resentments of a civil war that could have turned out so much worse, and if you don't believe that, look at the Thirty Years' War for what happens when the whole thing is not resolved albeit grudgingly, but lingers, taking the continent into a bitter maelstrom of blood and vengeance until there is little left to fight over but the corpses. Hold your peace for just a moment and imagine what you'd say to three men you meet in a rural tavern, one tall, with bad teeth, another somewhat smaller with flaming red hair and a third, truly tiny, with pince-nez glasses on his nose. Washington, Jefferson, Madison.
"Sirs," you'd have to say, "In my time there is one country in the world who is a giant of three hundred million souls, possessing half a continent, whose navy spans the world's oceans and whose army is the envy of nations, whose economy and culture shifts the rest."
"And has America protected her citizens against this giant, and if so, how?" asks the red-haired fellow.
"America is that giant. We have sinned, we are fools, we have stumbled and blundered and squandered our birthright of liberty, we have broken and despoiled the land, brutalized innocent peoples, erred through both noble and ignoble intent. We are the least of men standing on the shoulders of our betters."
"Really, sir?" says the little guy. "And can you say, then, that you are proud to be an American?"
"I would die for our country, sir," you reply, and it's the truth.
"Well, then," says the tall one. "Maybe the whole thing wasn't a waste of time after all."
Happy Independence Day, all.
I suspect many of them would be in the streets, in jail or dead by now.
Exactly right on all counts.
Great post, Bill.
I would hope that if the Founders could see today’s America, that, with their extraordinarily keen insight, they’d see that the flame of freedom they ignited so long ago, still burns within so many of our hearts.
Seeing that, I would hope that their minds would be at peace in the knowledge that we will, in time, restore this country to its full promise. Even if we have to water that tree, to do so.
In all fairness, from their perspective, you might see some mixed reviews.
1) You freed the what!? Some would be thrilled with emancipation, and others would not be. They would most likely be sad that we fought a civil war over it.
2) They would be equally bemused that we have neither figured out the whole federalism and anti-federalism debate; nor that we have still not figured out a good means of funding the federal government.
3) How big is the US military? How on Earth can you afford that?
4) How is democracy doing around the world? (They would be ecstatic with the results so far. Jefferson would be very disappointed with Liberia, however. Still dealing with Barbary pirates, I see.)
5) America flew men to the Moon and they came back alive? KICKASS!
6) You’ll have to pardon Benjamin, he gets this way around young ladies. We’ll go look at the young ladies in a minute, Ben. You are acting like a puppy. What is a bikini?, some type of fancy dress? Settle down there, Ben, before you throw a shoe!
Someone already did....
Hell, no. They would be aghast at the monstrous size and abuses of the federal government on one hand, and nauseated beyond words at the sickeningly grotesque culture of sleaze and naval-gazing self-absorption on the other.
Would they be proud? In some ways, I think yes. But in some very important ways, no, not at all.
The income tax especially would gall them, and how high those taxes are on even ordinary folks. I don’t think they’d be happy with the 16th and 17th Amendments at all.
I don’t think they’d be pleased with how our country has become the world’s policeman, and how the modern presidency and executive branch have become ridiculously massive in scope.
They would be appalled at the debt we’re in, let alone the deficit.
They would hate the United Nations and how we are slowly losing sovereignty to European/Leftist supranational organizations.
Losing ground:
YES (569 responses)
22%
NO (2021 responses)
78%
2590 total responses
“I suspect many of them would be in the streets, in jail or dead by now.”
Profiled by the Stasi, I mean the Department of Homeland Security, that is for SURE!
That has my vote.
Nope.
No is blowing yes out of the water, and with damn good reason.
The Founders would be appalled!
“The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained”….President George Washington…1st inaugural address
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