The idea of the United States became real when Washington voluntarily relinquished control of the army rather than become a despot or king. We have fallen so far from that act and that strength of character.
I am struck by the eloquence of Washington’s language. Language has tremendous power, far beyond the words themselves. It is a multi-purpose tool we carried with us from one administration to another. Words, as we know, can inspire us to be our best selves. They can raise us to unimaginable heights and feats of glory when used to tap our sensitive souls and minds in the service of humanity and the highest calling of our country; its democracy.
Trump knows how to wound that democracy with words that cut and eviscerate that living democracy. It used to be a force with which we expressed our trust because, as Washington knew, that democracy lived in the hearts of its people. Its intentions were known by the words and deeds of its leaders in the service of all.
On this Presidents Day, it helped heal my sore heart to read Washington’s words. They reminded me that we once had eloquence personified in the White House. Maybe this fact doesn’t matter to some people. Maybe they think such lofty expression is out of date. I, for one, find it refreshing. I realize how much I have missed it. Maybe this reminder that a democratic spring has visited in the past and can come again will be enough to sustain us in this hard, hard winter of authoritarianism. I sure hope so. Gonna read this again…and again.
It’s hard to express just how much. These days, I may be grasping at straws, but even if I draw the short one by reading words from Presidents in the ‘way back machine’…I’ll hold it close!
Yes the founding documents were general and aspirational. Not a rule book which people had to follow and it was subject to penalty theft psychopath greed. IE all the things that plage society. There are a lot of wonderful people but seemingly not enough. My epiphany for today
Trump's most heinous of crimes--of the many--is his relentless cleaving of the American people. We have fallen so low, family against family, institution against institution, white against color, party against party. We are torn apart with seemingly no way forward. But I believe in my heart that the seeds of unity remain in the resistance, that we will find ourselves free of this monster and his regime, that MAGA will become ostracized out of existence and that we will reclaim the faith, liberty and justice that has been squandered by this man. This is what the fight is all about and I for one am all in.
Thanks. It's awfully hard to maintain that perspective, day by day, but then I see the polls, Minnesota, the flailing of Bondi, Noem and Hegseth (dolts, all) and am heartened. Keep your wonderful work coming, Steven. It really inspires me and lifts me from the darkness.
Thank you, Mr. Beschloss. What frightens me is that SCOTUS looked right in the eye of what Washington and other Founders warned about and gave djt a pass. They saw him in action. They knew we was a give-him-an-inch-he’ll-take-infinity kind of sociopath and SCOTUS flipped Americans a big middle finger and turned loose the wrath of that sociopath. SCOTUS doesn’t deserve all the credit - never stop blaming mitch. Americans have been betrayed for money and power.
And I need to remind everyone to read it to the end, but in reality I’m just trying to remind MYSELF to read it to the end (which I haven’t done yet—please, I beg you, don’t ban me!).
There is so much going on these days, and so much bad, and so much evil. It’s hard to keep up.
This is a wonderful tribute to George Washington, (and buying mattresses on sale.) ☺️
My mom made Cherry pie.
Anyway, I am not downplaying the serious attributes of warnings, as they are pertinent.
I couldn’t help thinking of the level of intelligence Washington exhibited in his writings and use of vocabulary and mentally comparing it to the devoid of intelligence - insulting dialogue of this Regime.
Thank you for sharing the quotes, Steven and some humor.
This is my favorite
Excerpt:
“…it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national Union to your collective and individual happiness;
that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it;
accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity;
watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety;
discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned,
and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest,
or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts.”
Such marvelous vocabulary and sentence structure aptly addressing the perils we might face.
Thank you Professor Beschloss. Have read and reread George Washington’s farewell address so often. Everytime find many words of his wisdom, insights and even a premonition that he warned us all about that so many may have never taken heed. Our country has always been a challenge, messy and contradictory at best.
What held often true is that our better angels came to our own rescue. Find that we have better angels more and more. To those marching in the No Kings Protests. To the citizens of Minneapolis all that can’t be named, standing out in protesting from our own government paramilitary. From mothers standing in guard of children attending school, people delivering food and needed supplies to families in fear of ever peeking outside. So much that can’t even be articulated other than Minnesota is/has definitely exceeded its states motto — L'Étoile du Nord (The Star of the North). That this is carried over and over in other places in our country that ICE has descended upon that there are more “good people” that will continue to work against everything that this so-called President stands for.
When we truly understand that the office of the executive and the legislative branches are only to be temporary maybe we’ll get that “we as the people” who move this democracy forward will comprehend our power that was intended at our nations inception.
George Washington Farewell Address ~
“….In offering to you, my countrymen, these counsels of an old and affectionate friend, I dare not hope they will make the strong and lasting impression I could wish; that they will control the usual current of the passions, or prevent our nation from running the course which has hitherto marked the destiny of nations. But, if I may even flatter myself that they may be productive of some partial benefit, some occasional good; that they may now and then recur to moderate the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischiefs of foreign intrigue, to guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism; this hope will be a full recompense for the solicitude for your welfare, by which they have been dictated.
How far in the discharge of my official duties I have been guided by the principles which have been delineated, the public records and other evidences of my conduct must witness to you and to the world. To myself, the assurance of my own conscience is, that I have at least believed myself to be guided by them…”
Washington's Farewell Address
1796
What currently is sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is utterly, completely the total opposite of what was intended as written and seen by our founders and being a George Washington. Why anyone selected this abomination a second time totally alludes me still… He’s beyond abhorrent..
The idea of the United States became real when Washington voluntarily relinquished control of the army rather than become a despot or king. We have fallen so far from that act and that strength of character.
Eisenhower expressed concern about military. Nobody listened
Yep. Too much money to be made. 🤨
I am struck by the eloquence of Washington’s language. Language has tremendous power, far beyond the words themselves. It is a multi-purpose tool we carried with us from one administration to another. Words, as we know, can inspire us to be our best selves. They can raise us to unimaginable heights and feats of glory when used to tap our sensitive souls and minds in the service of humanity and the highest calling of our country; its democracy.
Trump knows how to wound that democracy with words that cut and eviscerate that living democracy. It used to be a force with which we expressed our trust because, as Washington knew, that democracy lived in the hearts of its people. Its intentions were known by the words and deeds of its leaders in the service of all.
On this Presidents Day, it helped heal my sore heart to read Washington’s words. They reminded me that we once had eloquence personified in the White House. Maybe this fact doesn’t matter to some people. Maybe they think such lofty expression is out of date. I, for one, find it refreshing. I realize how much I have missed it. Maybe this reminder that a democratic spring has visited in the past and can come again will be enough to sustain us in this hard, hard winter of authoritarianism. I sure hope so. Gonna read this again…and again.
Thank you, Steven.
Thank you, Ellen. Glad you found it healing.
It’s hard to express just how much. These days, I may be grasping at straws, but even if I draw the short one by reading words from Presidents in the ‘way back machine’…I’ll hold it close!
Yes the founding documents were general and aspirational. Not a rule book which people had to follow and it was subject to penalty theft psychopath greed. IE all the things that plage society. There are a lot of wonderful people but seemingly not enough. My epiphany for today
Exactly. And AI has no soul. Its programmed for good or evil and whatever developers want.
VENALITY! NOT penalty
Trump's most heinous of crimes--of the many--is his relentless cleaving of the American people. We have fallen so low, family against family, institution against institution, white against color, party against party. We are torn apart with seemingly no way forward. But I believe in my heart that the seeds of unity remain in the resistance, that we will find ourselves free of this monster and his regime, that MAGA will become ostracized out of existence and that we will reclaim the faith, liberty and justice that has been squandered by this man. This is what the fight is all about and I for one am all in.
I appreciate the optimism, Robyn.
Thanks. It's awfully hard to maintain that perspective, day by day, but then I see the polls, Minnesota, the flailing of Bondi, Noem and Hegseth (dolts, all) and am heartened. Keep your wonderful work coming, Steven. It really inspires me and lifts me from the darkness.
Nice to hear.
🧵Not only what you say, Steven, and Al says in reply, but Washington wrote a slim BOOK about VIRTUE in private & public life.
About the need to govern with virtue and in good faith.
——
Not to mention the EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE in our Constitution. IT is not even an Amendment: It’s included IN the Constitution as a matter of course!
PT Barnum warned us about trump voters.
True.
Thank you, Mr. Beschloss. What frightens me is that SCOTUS looked right in the eye of what Washington and other Founders warned about and gave djt a pass. They saw him in action. They knew we was a give-him-an-inch-he’ll-take-infinity kind of sociopath and SCOTUS flipped Americans a big middle finger and turned loose the wrath of that sociopath. SCOTUS doesn’t deserve all the credit - never stop blaming mitch. Americans have been betrayed for money and power.
Right you are, Jane.
🧵You really have done your homework here, Steven.
And I need to remind everyone to read it to the end, but in reality I’m just trying to remind MYSELF to read it to the end (which I haven’t done yet—please, I beg you, don’t ban me!).
There is so much going on these days, and so much bad, and so much evil. It’s hard to keep up.
This is a wonderful tribute to George Washington, (and buying mattresses on sale.) ☺️
My mom made Cherry pie.
Anyway, I am not downplaying the serious attributes of warnings, as they are pertinent.
I couldn’t help thinking of the level of intelligence Washington exhibited in his writings and use of vocabulary and mentally comparing it to the devoid of intelligence - insulting dialogue of this Regime.
Thank you for sharing the quotes, Steven and some humor.
This is my favorite
Excerpt:
“…it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national Union to your collective and individual happiness;
that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it;
accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity;
watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety;
discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned,
and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest,
or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts.”
Such marvelous vocabulary and sentence structure aptly addressing the perils we might face.
Thank you Professor Beschloss. Have read and reread George Washington’s farewell address so often. Everytime find many words of his wisdom, insights and even a premonition that he warned us all about that so many may have never taken heed. Our country has always been a challenge, messy and contradictory at best.
What held often true is that our better angels came to our own rescue. Find that we have better angels more and more. To those marching in the No Kings Protests. To the citizens of Minneapolis all that can’t be named, standing out in protesting from our own government paramilitary. From mothers standing in guard of children attending school, people delivering food and needed supplies to families in fear of ever peeking outside. So much that can’t even be articulated other than Minnesota is/has definitely exceeded its states motto — L'Étoile du Nord (The Star of the North). That this is carried over and over in other places in our country that ICE has descended upon that there are more “good people” that will continue to work against everything that this so-called President stands for.
When we truly understand that the office of the executive and the legislative branches are only to be temporary maybe we’ll get that “we as the people” who move this democracy forward will comprehend our power that was intended at our nations inception.
George Washington Farewell Address ~
“….In offering to you, my countrymen, these counsels of an old and affectionate friend, I dare not hope they will make the strong and lasting impression I could wish; that they will control the usual current of the passions, or prevent our nation from running the course which has hitherto marked the destiny of nations. But, if I may even flatter myself that they may be productive of some partial benefit, some occasional good; that they may now and then recur to moderate the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischiefs of foreign intrigue, to guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism; this hope will be a full recompense for the solicitude for your welfare, by which they have been dictated.
How far in the discharge of my official duties I have been guided by the principles which have been delineated, the public records and other evidences of my conduct must witness to you and to the world. To myself, the assurance of my own conscience is, that I have at least believed myself to be guided by them…”
Washington's Farewell Address
1796
What currently is sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is utterly, completely the total opposite of what was intended as written and seen by our founders and being a George Washington. Why anyone selected this abomination a second time totally alludes me still… He’s beyond abhorrent..