Comments on: Jefferson on the Wisdom of the People http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html the tao of criminal defense trial lawyering Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:51:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jamie http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html/comment-page-1#comment-5119 Jamie Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:21:40 +0000 http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html#comment-5119 I believe the (only partially fake) presidential quote she was referring to here is "Never <i>mis</i>underestimate the wisdom of the people"... I believe the (only partially fake) presidential quote she was referring to here is “Never misunderestimate the wisdom of the people”…

]]> By: Edintally http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html/comment-page-1#comment-5112 Edintally Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:06:38 +0000 http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html#comment-5112 So you would include elected/appointed officials within the grouping of "wisdom of the people"? So you would include elected/appointed officials within the grouping of “wisdom of the people”?

]]> By: Mark Bennett http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html/comment-page-1#comment-5111 Mark Bennett Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:34:17 +0000 http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html#comment-5111 Palin's quote is nowhere near a paraphrase of that (<a href="http://oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=802&chapter=86650&layout=html&Itemid=27" rel="nofollow">waaayyyy out-of-context</a>) quote. I don't know if he was the elitest, but he was pretty darn elite -- large landowner, educated man, lawyer, inventor, diplomat world traveler -- and a Philadelphia insider. If he'd trusted fully the wisdom of the people, he could have dispensed with two branches of the government and one house of the legislature and left us to be governed by our elected Representatives as they saw fit. Palin’s quote is nowhere near a paraphrase of that (waaayyyy out-of-context) quote.

I don’t know if he was the elitest, but he was pretty darn elite — large landowner, educated man, lawyer, inventor, diplomat world traveler — and a Philadelphia insider.

If he’d trusted fully the wisdom of the people, he could have dispensed with two branches of the government and one house of the legislature and left us to be governed by our elected Representatives as they saw fit.

]]> By: Mary Mayer http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html/comment-page-1#comment-5110 Mary Mayer Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:34:10 +0000 http://bennettandbennett.com/blog/2008/10/jefferson-on-the-wisdom-of-the-people.html#comment-5110 Mark, The page you linked also showed this Jefferson quote, which is closer to Palin's paraphrase: "I am satisfied the good sense of the people is the strongest army our government can ever have, and that it will not fail them." -Thomas Jefferson to William Carmichael, 1786. ME 6:31 (Source: http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/...) This seems to clear up your doubt about his intent. He doesn't seem to be the elitest you'd like him to be. Mark,
The page you linked also showed this Jefferson quote, which is closer to Palin’s paraphrase:

“I am satisfied the good sense of the people is the strongest army our government can ever have, and that it will not fail them.” -Thomas Jefferson to William Carmichael, 1786. ME 6:31 (Source: http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/...)
This seems to clear up your doubt about his intent. He doesn’t seem to be the elitest you’d like him to be.

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