Democracy Has Prevailed.

October 31, 2011

I Really Hate To Do This, I Really Do

Look at today's Tribune-Review editorial cartoon:

It doesn't say so explicitly, but it's yet another attempt by the Tribune-Review to undermine the credibility of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Look at the signs the non-Jeffersonians are holding ("Tax the Rich" and "Who will pay for my student loan?") and now look at the sign the Jeffersonian is holding ("The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.").

By setting the two sets of quotations in opposition and by tagging one of them as by Thomas Jefferson, the non-Jeffersonians are, well, non-Jeffersonians.

But what about that quotation?

For that we go to Monticello.org, the official website for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.  On a page titled "Spurious Quotations" we find:
This exact quotation has not been found in any of the writings of Thomas Jefferson. It bears a very vague resemblance to Jefferson's comment in a prospectus for his translation of Destutt de Tracy's Treatise on Political Economy: "To take from one, because it is thought that his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, - the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry, &  the fruits acquired by it.'" [emphasis added.]
Yes, very vague.  There's no mention, for example, about how the cessation of  democracy is brought about by giving "to those who would not" work.

You gotta do your homework better there, Bish.  Either that or you run the risk of having some balding blogger point out your mistakes for the whole world to see.  It's gotta be especially embarrassing today since today you used a spurious Jefferson quotation in an attempt to undermine a group's political credibility.

9 comments:

Social Justice NPC Anti-Paladin™ said...

Because the Left NEVER made up a Thomas Jefferson

No wonder Thomas Jefferson himself said: “Dissent is the greatest form of patriotism.”

Where is quote that has a very vague resemblance to that?

EdHeath said...

So because Kerry misquoted Jefferson in 2006, Republicans are allowed to make up whatever they want? Apparently Kerry's is a fairly common misquote. By contrast, Newt Gingrich take an interesting approach to quotes: “Any ad which quotes what I said on Sunday is a falsehood, 'cause I have said publicly that those words were inaccurate and unfortunate,”

Ol' Froth said...

SHorter Heir: "Look over heeeeeerrr!!!!"

Lady Elaine said...

It is a theme with them--make shit up and say it's in the Holy Bible!

Social Justice NPC Anti-Paladin™ said...

Ed,
Kerry misquoted?
So what was the quote John Kerry (who is so much smarter than the Cowboy GW Bush even if his grades at Yale were worst) meant to use?
Was he quoting Howard Zinn?

Afterall, Howard Zinn/Thomas Jefferson what is the difference?

EdHeath said...

I believe Kerry’s grades were about even with GWB’s, possibly slightly worse, probably not worst. They were both doing Skull and Bones, I believe; in addition Kerry was into soccer, hockey, lacrosse fencing and debate and took flying lessons (!), while GWB was in Skull and Bones and played rugby. I was never that impressed with John Kerry, although I thought he would have been better than GWB (not all that high a bar).

Meanwhile, apparently the quote predates Howard Zinn. As I said, it is apparently a common error, although one I would have expected Kerry to catch. Just as people who work for newspapers should catch errors (they have people for that, right?). But you won’t say anything about that, because basically a Republican President could lie to the American people, get four thousand Americans and maybe as many as a hundred thousand Iraqi soldiers and civilians killed on those false justifications and it would be fine with you. The wealthiest one could double the share of the economy they own over the last thirty years and the rest of us could lose ground, and that is OK with you. Instead of supporting a second stimulus and reform of Wall Street, you quibble about Democrats who misquote historical figures.

anonimo said...

So what is the real difference between the actual quote and the sentiment on the sign in the trib's cartoon? How does this devolve into a discussion about a past presidents grades? Maybe because we actually got to see those, unlike the current occupant of 1600.

Conservative Mountaineer said...

@anonmino.. Actually, nothing. But that won't stop the liberals here from trying to change the subject.

I see you're new here. One other thing - try not to make a typo because then they will jump all over you and refute your argument because it has a typo.. plus, they won't ever forget you had a typo.

EdHeath said...

Hey CM, you try to use your education and experience as a bludgeon, but when you make a typo (actually, a major math error that made you argument about rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the rich absurd), you actually complain when it is pointed out. So, whatever. Whoever reads this blog will see what's written.

As for this discussion devolving, I responded twice to Heir to the Throne vis a vis the grades of GWB and John Kerry. But again, if you want to distort what is clearly in this string of comments, be my guest.

And anonimo, as I understand it, now that President Obama has released his long form birth certificate, there is now a general conservative call for Obama's grades. What exactly will they tell you? It strikes as a diversion from other pressing issues. Can you offer any proof that reducing Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Unemployment benefits will actually reduce unemployment and increase GNP? Or is cutting benefits to the poor and elderly and raising the taxes of everyone but the rich simply a goal in and of itself? Or are my questions unacceptable deviations?