>Hi Tom,
>
>I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to harrass everyone. I feel so guilty! <g>
>
>>>Jerry,
>>>
>>>>>John,
>>>>>
>>>>>I suppose, though I must admit I've met a few good lawyers. Jefferson, etc.. <g>
>>>>
>>>>mmm... Has Jefferson actually visited you, or did you travel to him? ;-)
>>>
>>>LOL!!
>>>
>>>No, my name is not Hillary Clinton and I do not talk with Eleanor Roosevelt. <g>
>>>
>>>Met as in read some of his writings and also having started a biography about his life. <g>
>>
>>Doug;
>>
>>Jefferson is my favorite American President for many reasons. My least favorite is LBJ. Both men earned such recognition! :)
>>
>>Tom
>
>Well, I think Mr. Clinton ranks right up there in terms of the general abuses of governmental prerogatives and so forth. AN awful lot of targeted IRS stuff for example. I think in the case of LBJ he had a willing Congress that he took advantage of as a result of the assassination of Kennedy. I've got to think that the characteristics of a good President are a hard mix to come by.
>
>George Washington, for example, is tops on my list as he understood that the powers he enjoyed as President were given (by God IMO and by (through?) 'the People' as well) to him, and as such, could be taken away. IOW, he had to use them responsibly. His stepping down and refusing to run again IMO marks one of the high points in the use of political power.

Doug;

Washington is #3 on my list of Presidents. He set an interesting standard for much of the world. First he stepped down as the “Commander” of the revolutionary army, and then did so again as President, after his second term in office. He was the first President in history that I am aware of, and had many who wanted him to be King. Washington truly set the standard for all American Presidents to follow, which was no easy task.

There was a most interesting PBS program on television about Washington the other day. Washington was truly a gentleman and despised by the intellectuals. The difference between Washington and intellectuals was basic: Washington practiced and put into effect those things which gave men equal opportunity while the intellectuals “thought about it, read about it and debated the subject”. One such event was abolishing “Pope Day”, a day celebrated by the American Puritans.

Why was America created? Originally for religious freedom. However the Puritans were far from tolerant. Pope Day was a day celebrated by burning an effigy of the Pope and a way to discriminate against Roman Catholics. Washington put a stop to that practice as many of the members of the American Army were Roman Catholics. As Commander of the Army he established a number of things which made men more equal. It is interesting that the United States Military has traditionally been at the forefront of rights of its members. Equality of the races was established by Harry Truman for all members of the Armed Services while President of the United States.

Some argue that Washington had slaves and therefore was not a good man. Washington upon his death freed all his slaves. Of the nine American Presidents who had slaves Washington was the only one who freed his.

Tom