Today's Founders Quote: Two Sides to Every Question

"Men of energy of character must have enemies; because there are two sides to every question, and taking one with decision, and acting on it with effect, those who take the other will of course be hostile in proportion as they feel that effect."


-Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1817.


    The amazing thing is that these are the 2nd and 3rd Presidents - two of the founding fathers of the United States - discussing a fundamental issue... and yet so many Americans and their leaders DON'T get it.  Moderates often get criticized for being too agreeable and have no backbone or beliefs. Here is my submission: Moderates have more beliefs than the others, because they have their own core beliefs, and the capacity to appreciate and understand others as well.  A moderate's backbone is stronger because it is more flexible than an extremist's is, because an extremist's backbone is never tested. When it is tested, it's not their spine that snaps - it's America's. If Jefferson and Adams can agree on this, they should too..


    We say this all the time: America's greatness is not because we DON'T compromise, it's because of it's ability to compromise.  It's much harder to look through legislation and have to make decisions based on it's merits and negatives for all, rather than voting to appease a base, and knock it down due to one inflexible tidbit.  The blunt truth is more would be accomplished by America in every facet if we had more agreeable members.  Speaking of blunt, actress Emily Blunt is pretty agreeable as well.  We first saw her in Charlie Wilson's War, one of our favorite movies.  Everytime we hear Juice Newton's Angel of the Morning, we see her slinking around Tom Hanks' in a bra and panties - and we lose few seconds of our lives, quite happily... We wonder how flexible her backbone is!

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