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   A Republic If You Can Keep It
 As Benjamin Franklin departed the Constitutional Convention, he was asked if the framers had created a monarchy or a republic. "A republic," he famously replied, and then added, "if you can keep it." The remarkable generation that founded this nation led an improbable yet successful revolution against the strongest military power of the time. They declared their independence based on self-evident truths, asserting a new basis of political rule in the sovereignty of the people and launching an experiment in self-government. Through a carefully written constitution that limits power and secures rights while allowing for change through its own amendment, they created an enduring framework of republican government that bestows upon their posterity the same blessings of liberty. 
But what the American Founders did not do-could not do-was guarantee the success of their creation. Franklin and the other Founders knew that their experiment depended on future generations, which meant the education of future citizens. "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization," Thomas Jefferson once warned, "it expects what never was-and never will be." 

How are we doing?		

Author: Mathew Spalding, Ph.D., Vice President of American Studies
						ED070302b: published on the Heritage Foundation site

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basser Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Voice Citizen Joined: Mar 07 2010 Status: Offline Points: 539	Post Options Post Reply Quote basser Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: How are we doing? Posted: Dec 18 2019 at 11:32pm
	A Republic If You Can Keep It As Benjamin Franklin departed the Constitutional Convention, he was asked if the framers had created a monarchy or a republic. "A republic," he famously replied, and then added, "if you can keep it." The remarkable generation that founded this nation led an improbable yet successful revolution against the strongest military power of the time. They declared their independence based on self-evident truths, asserting a new basis of political rule in the sovereignty of the people and launching an experiment in self-government. Through a carefully written constitution that limits power and secures rights while allowing for change through its own amendment, they created an enduring framework of republican government that bestows upon their posterity the same blessings of liberty. But what the American Founders did not do-could not do-was guarantee the success of their creation. Franklin and the other Founders knew that their experiment depended on future generations, which meant the education of future citizens. "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization," Thomas Jefferson once warned, "it expects what never was-and never will be." How are we doing? Author: Mathew Spalding, Ph.D., Vice President of American Studies ED070302b: published on the Heritage Foundation site


fiveisalimit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Voice Resident Joined: Aug 16 2017 Location: ohio Status: Offline Points: 79	Post Options Post Reply Quote fiveisalimit Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Dec 24 2019 at 2:45pm
	Mathew Spalding and the Heritage Foundation and here are Spalding's rationalizations as to why the founding fathers were not: Slave Owners....... they were BUT "They prudently laid the groundwork for the eventual abolition of slavery." Women......they were too BUT "Women, too, are created equal, but this fundamental equality does not negate the fact that men and women have different roles in society. What the founders understood to be best for the rights of women, was lifelong marriage and primary commitment to family." "The other alternatives—such as divorce, manual labor and prostitution—were thought to be dehumanizing and corrupting." Quotes are from a book review of "Vindicating the Founders" Washington Times 1997. How are we doing? I believe we are in troubled times. Separation of powers is a tremendous idea, but it only works if ALL branches play the same game. When the legislative branch tells the executive branch STICK IT IN YOUR ASS, we will do it at our pleasure (the Merrick Garland nomination) or vise versa when the legislative side asks for information from the executive branch and they reply SCREW YOU we will keep it to ourselves. (The current impeachment process). If the trend of educating yourself with Social Media memes and Tweets continues we will have realized Thomas Jefferson's warning.... "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."

Houndog Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Voice Council Joined: Dec 31 2006 Status: Offline Points: 5531	Post Options Post Reply Quote Houndog Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Dec 26 2019 at 6:27pm
	We’re doing great. My company. Who just gave the Saud family 11.5 billion dollars just told all the employees that the market is uncertain and we will not receive a raise this year.