Why More Able Men are not Chosen President
WHERE HAS COMMON SENSE GONE? No. 20, Thomas Paine – May 2011-
In response to Where Has Common Sense Gone, No.19 “ Where are the Elephants” a very good friend of mine gave me a copy of an article that appeared in “Influential and Controversial Readings in American Politics”. It was extracted from The American Commonwealth pp.58-64, authored by James Bryce and published in 1899.
The gist of the article answers the question of the missing elephants by clearly stating there are none in American political circles today. By “today” the author meant The Year of OUR LORD – 1899. I was struck by the reasons given and the resulting recognition that many of the same reasons, persist to this day, along with a few new ones. How is it that a lack of statesman-like, competent, moral, honest and God fearing politicians can persist when the evident need for them is so great? Continue reading →