Monday is President's day, and we here at NYonTap thought it a fitting time to take a moment and reflect on how far we've come as a nation these last 200 odd years. As America has grown from a fledgling nation with little world clout to the economic powerhouse and world leader it is today, so to has the intelligence, strength and character of those who we've elected to our highest office.
Reflect for a moment on these quotes from our first President and our most recent and consider how the majesty of the American Presidency has grown over the years.
George Washington: Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.
George Bush: See, free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nation don't develop weapons of mass destruction.
George Washington: Let your heart feel for the afflictions and distress of everyone, and let your hand give in proportion to your purse.
George Bush: If most of the breaks go to wealthy people it's because most of the people who pay taxes are wealthy.
George Washington: Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
George Bush: The American people wants a president that appeals to the angels...
George Washington: Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.
George Bush: The defense budget sends a clear signal to friend and foe that when it comes to defending freedom we're in it for the long hall.
George Washington: The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every person of sense and character detests and despises it.
George Bush: You fucking son of a bitch. I saw what you wrote. We're not going to forget this. (To Wall Street Journal editor Al Hunt)
George Washington: The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.
George Bush: Many people in this state and around our nation give the President the greatest gift a President could receive, and that is prayer.
