They Tried to Warn Us

In their farewell remarks, past presidents of our great nation gave us their most heartfelt and serious advice. We remember their words, have we betrayed their hopes?

We did not keep free stay of entangling foreign alliances, as George Washington vigorously cautioned us to do.

John Quincy Adams added a corollary with his, "We shouldn't go around the world searching for monsters to destroy."

Jamees Monroe left office telling us to mind our own business and protect our Western Hemisphere by keeping other nations out of the area - Monroe Doctrine.

Woodrow Wilson regretted his own decision to enter the First World War and hoped that Americans would "not develop a habit of war."

Those wise foreign policy pronouncements of respected presidents are now mere words, causing no thought whatsoever. If we had taken their advice, imagine our blessed America today, the city on the hill, basking in peace and prosperity.

Herbert Hoover left office beseaching his countrymen to be "rugged individualists." Five years later his people were covered by the mandatory Social Security blanket.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt told us to never fear, but the past five years, fear has been the mode of national life.

Presidents had lots to say about banking institutions and corporate power. Thomas Jefferson warned that if banks were allowed too much control, the people would become poor and without housing. He said, "Banks can be more dangerous to a free people than standing armies."

James Garfield said: "Whoever controls the volume of money in any country is absolute master of all industry and commerce."

Andrew Jackson agreed with the dangers of centralized money institutions and threw out the national bank, which was the forerunner of the all powerful Federal Reserve System under which we struggle now.

Abraham Lincoln held similar convictions regarding the institution of banking. Some say he paid with his life, for those beliefs.

James Madison pointed out the effects of corporate lobbying early in our republic.

"We do not wish to destroy corporations," President Theodore Roosevelt said, "but we do wish to make them subserve the public good."

Dwight D. Eisenhower issued his famous warning about the "military-industrial complex." How prophetic; how unheeded!

John F. Kennedy was addressing the subject of monetary reform when he told an audience at Columbia University: "The high office of President has been used to foment a plot to destroy Americans' freedom, and before I leave office I must inform the citizens of this plight." JFK died 10 days later.

Ronald Reagan wanted us to preserve the federalist union. "Appreciate states' rights," he asked. But a people who aren't paying attention can't do that.

Of course, we should have valued all of those dedicated chief executives. Like children who listen but don't hear, we are having to learn the lessons the hard way. The life of America is at stake as a result of our weakness, the Constitution is hanging by the proverbial thread, but are we enjoying life or what?


Thoughts While Jaywalking

* The Council on Foreign Relations ( don't you love them?) is suggesting that Uncle Sam grant $20 billion to Mexico as sort of a modern Marshall Plan. The Carlyle Group is going around the country promoting the idea. Kissinger is in that group, so is George Bush Sr. Oh, why not? Just start the presses and print them up as much as they want. Charge them for the paper and ink. No hurry to pay for that.

* Let's review:

1.) We defied the UN in order to make war on Iraq for defying the UN.

2.) We made war on Iraq because it threatened to make war on others.

* Dr. Ira Longterm, our economic consultant, is hawking his book: IT DON'T PAY TO BE POOR.

* When we liberate Mexico the invasion will be called: "Operation Whole Enchilada."


IT'S ALL SO SIMPLE.