Glen's Vacation

Glen is a good friend who recently sent me this message.  We need more Patriots like him!

I wrote a piece to post on your blog that didn't make it earlier. Last week, we took a vacation with my wife, 15 yr old son, oldest daughter, son-in-law and two grandson's (9 & 12). We went to Gettysburg and toured the battlefields with an audio CD purchased from the Park Service, then on to DC, with a tour of the Capitol where we actually saw Nancy Pelosi - in person - from about 25 feet away. I told my Dad (86 now) that we'd seen her and his response was "DId you kick her in the ass? - I had to tell him that I wasn't able to get close enough! We also sat in on about 15 minutes of the House of Representatives which was in session. My son-in-law was sitting next to me. One of the orators from the left side of the aisle was lamenting the lack of a C(r)ap & Trade legislation and extolling the virtues of going after the "obscene corporate profits" as means of funding all their wonderful programs. I didn't miss the opportunity to mention to my son-in-law that this guy was a prime example of why he needed to take more interest in elections - to keep assholes like that guy out of congress. Thereafter, national monument, to the front of the white house where Michelle Obama's garden is - very well maintained I might add. Then to WWII memorial, Lincoln Monument & Korean War memorial. I couldn't help but reflect on the onerous damage that the current occupant of the white house is doing to our country - and what messr.s Adams, Hancock, Jefferson, Washington, etc. would have thought of the stewardship the current occupant of the white house as well as the members of congress are doing to their fine efforts at creating a great Republic.

Friday, we went to Monticello and spent the money to tour the house. Our daughter commented (to my dismay) before we went in that they could go to Great America for a little more money then the price of admission! However, I think that all learned a great deal about one of the founding fathers and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. A man who held onto life in his dying days to die on the 4th of July 1826, 50 years to the day of the signing of the Declaration of Independence - a day that John Adam's also hung on to die shortly after Jefferson. One of the people in our group asked why, if Jefferson were rich and a great leader earlier in his life, that he died $110,000 in debt. The answer by the tour guide was one of the best that I've heard yet. During Jefferson's 8 reluctant years in the White House, he was given $25,000 per year - to live on and run all of the affairs as well as maintain the place. When he left office, he was $11,000 in debt. While in office, he completed the PEACEFUL acquisition of the Lousiana Purchase doubling the size of the country for 3 cents per acre. The value of his holdings was affected drastically by the glut of new, fertile and available land that resulted from the Louisiana Purchase. Post death, Monticello and the remaining land was sold for $7500 to cover some of his debt. I couldn't help but reflect about the selflessness of men like Adams, Washington (won the revolutionary war and then promptly resigned his commission rather than simply take over the country), Jefferson - that risked their lives by the treasonous act of signing the declaration and fighting the British, then put the good of the country before themselves consistently thereafter.

Yes Jim - The next two rounds of national elections are critical indeed.