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Thomas Jefferson on Taxes
Historical ^ | 1816 | Thomas Jefferson

Posted on 02/16/2009 4:16:23 PM PST by Windflier

“If we run into such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England are, our people, like them, must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, and give the earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses.

And the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they do now, on oatmeal and potatoes, have no time to think, no means of calling the mis-managers to account; but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains around the necks of our fellow sufferers.

And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second, that second for a third, and so on 'til the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automations of misery, to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering.

And the forehorse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression."

Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom?

Material abundance without character is the path of destruction.”

Thomas Jefferson 1816 Third President of the United States 1801 -1809, Drafter of the Declaration of Independence, Founder of the University of Virginia


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: freedom; jefferson; oppression; presidents; taxes; thomasjefferson
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A friend sent me this quote from Thomas Jefferson today. I thought it very applicable to recent events.

I am certain that not a single Democrat legislator in Washington has read these fine words, and comprehended their simple, yet powerful meaning.

1 posted on 02/16/2009 4:16:23 PM PST by Windflier
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To: Windflier

“I am certain that not a single Democrat legislator in Washington has read these fine words, and comprehended their simple, yet powerful meaning.”

As always a great quote from one of our great founding fathers. The dems use this quote as there tax plan. They sit around thinking of other ways to bilk money from us, read this quote and walla, instant tax ideas.


2 posted on 02/16/2009 4:21:58 PM PST by repubpub
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To: Windflier

If they could (and most likely will) ban the teaching of this in any of the re education camps operated by the “Department of Education”...


3 posted on 02/16/2009 4:23:26 PM PST by Shady (The Fairness Doctrine is ANYTHING but fair!!!!)
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To: Windflier

You may enjoy this. A while back I was looking for info on my town’s namesake (John Norvell) and found a letter from Jefferson to Norvell when Norvell asked Jefferson’s advice on starting a newspaper and involvement in politics.

Jefferson made his distaste for the newspapers quite clear.

http://lachlan.bluehaze.com.au/lit/jeff07.htm


4 posted on 02/16/2009 4:25:06 PM PST by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: Windflier

If people let government decide what foods they eat and
what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in
as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under
tyranny.

Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)

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 (1743 - 1826)

We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.

Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826),
letter to Samuel Kercheval, July 12, 1816

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 (1743 - 1826)


5 posted on 02/16/2009 4:26:38 PM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran ((B.?) Hussein (Obama?Soetoro?Dunhem?), change America will die for.)
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To: TR Jeffersonian

ping


6 posted on 02/16/2009 4:29:47 PM PST by kalee (01/20/13 The end of an error.... Obama even worse than Carter.)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

THOMAS JEFFERSON (1789): I consider trial by jury as the only anchor ever yet imagined by man, by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution.

THOMAS JEFFERSON: “To consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions is a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy.”


7 posted on 02/16/2009 4:29:59 PM PST by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

Those last two are applicable indeed.


8 posted on 02/16/2009 4:31:37 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: OneWingedShark
Delay is preferable to error.

Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)

The above quote was very good on the bailout bills.

9 posted on 02/16/2009 4:50:10 PM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran ((B.?) Hussein (Obama?Soetoro?Dunhem?), change America will die for.)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

Very nice.


10 posted on 02/16/2009 4:54:47 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Windflier
Thomas Jefferson ... Third President of the United States 1801 -1809, Drafter of the Declaration of Independence, Founder of the University of Virginia, and ironically, founder of the Democratic Party.
11 posted on 02/16/2009 4:58:06 PM PST by reg45 (Be calm everyone. The idiot child is in charge!)
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To: Windflier

I love the post, but need a reference. I am only confronting local libtards with referenced quotes and this is a great set. Thanks.


12 posted on 02/16/2009 5:01:39 PM PST by j_tull (Jeremiah Wright's prayer has been answered. God has damned America.)
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To: Windflier; All

If you are an admirer of Jefferson, you will want to bookmark this page. It’s a collection of all of Jefferson’s verified quotes, by subject.

http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/


13 posted on 02/16/2009 5:14:27 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: j_tull

See 13 for all of TJ’s authentic quotes, giving full attribution info.


14 posted on 02/16/2009 5:17:08 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Windflier

God bless our beloved Founders! They instill courage, sanity, and patriotism any time their voices are heard.


15 posted on 02/16/2009 5:30:41 PM PST by avenir
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To: Travis McGee

Thanks for the Jefferson link. Much appreciated.


16 posted on 02/16/2009 9:45:00 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: j_tull

See post 13 for a link to quotations by Jefferson. Hopefully, what you’re looking for is there.


17 posted on 02/16/2009 9:46:57 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: reg45
ironically, founder of the Democratic Party.

Democrats are such unbelievable hypocrites. I'll bet not one in a thousand knows that Jefferson founded their party, nor are they familiar with his writings.

18 posted on 02/16/2009 9:48:43 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

All brilliant quotes from a once in an epoch mind.


19 posted on 02/16/2009 9:50:03 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Shady
If they could (and most likely will) ban the teaching of this in any of the re education camps operated by the “Department of Education”...

I'm certain that that's already the established policy on curriculum in the US public schools.

20 posted on 02/16/2009 9:52:28 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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