Thomas Jefferson's Birthday

As is befitting the date I would like to write a few words about one of the greatest Americans that ever lived. Since however even I have been known to be humble on certain occasions, I feel that a few quotes are in order from the great man himself:

"I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest danger to be feared. To preserve our independence, we must not let our leaders load us with perpetual debt. We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labors and our amusements. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy. The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying money for unexplained projects forbids its disposition of public money."

If TJ were alive today I think he would look at the blogosphere and say something akin to what he said in 1813 but perhaps add that in this special case it is designed by Man:

"That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe...seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature...like the air in which we breathe."