I dunno... I'd just as soon pay less and be left alone on my own more.... but then I've always been that way, no matter how/where I lived. I don't need or want all the hustle and bustle... that's what I want to get away from. However, I don't want to go all the way back to when you had to chop your own logs, build your own house and hunt for/grow your own food. But that's what a lot of people were willing to do to be free, and rid of government control. I just finished reading a biography of Aaron Burr, and apparently it has ever been thus... there is nothing going on now that is new with regard to fights over how much power the federal government should have... Back then it was the Federalists (who have become today's Republicans more or less) and the Republicans ( who have become today's Democrats) - strangely enough.

The title is 'Aaron Burr - Fallen Founder' and it was very interesting reading. He definitely has gotten a bum rap from historians, if you can believe this book. I didn't know (or remember) that Burr and Jefferson were tied in the electoral college vote in 1800, even though it was clear between Burr and Jefferson that Burr was running for Vice President, and that it took some 36 votes in the House of Representatives to resolve it... after many machinations (say it ain't so!). See what I mean about nothing new?

Tim & Robyn wrote:

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I just finished reading a biography of Aaron Burr, and apparently it has ever been thus... there is nothing going on now that is new with regard to fights over how much power the federal government should have... 

The title is 'Aaron Burr - Fallen Founder' and it was very interesting reading. He definitely has gotten a bum rap from historians, if you can believe this book. I didn't know (or remember) that Burr and Jefferson were tied in the electoral college vote in 1800, even though it was clear between Burr and Jefferson that Burr was running for Vice President, and that it took some 36 votes in the House of Representatives to resolve it... after many machinations (say it ain't so!). See what I mean about nothing new?

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Yes, another Burrite!

I have not read that, who is the author?  Yes, you can "believe" the book.

AB was not only responsible for the 12 Amendment but also freed all his own slaves in New York while a State Rep --the powers that were didn't look kindly upon him for that.  Either...

 

If you can find Nathan Shachner's Burr biography, long out of print but worth hunting for, it is a treat.  Or an aggravation, depending...

Shachner also wrote full, complete biographies of Washington, Jefferson (he wasn't all that) and Hamilton (neither was he).  Every one worth owning and re-reading.

Tim & Robyn wrote:

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Nancy Isenberg was the author of the Aaron Burr biography.

Burr would have felt more at home in our times than in his own. He shocked everyone back then by actually campaigning for public office himself... at that time candidates kept their distance and let their proxies do their campaigning for them.

Neither Thomas Jefferson or Alexander Hamilton come off very well in this book.

Schemers and backstabbers the both of them, toward Burr at least...

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"Dirty-hands-at-arms'-length" was the reason candidates did not campaign directly. 
If we think our modern media is slanted and dirty, we should re-read (almost all available) newspaper accounts of the elections of that time.   Journalistic integrity was an even bigger misnomer 230 years ago.

Remember reading the Federalist Papers in high school --at least those portions not edited for the sensitive minds of 17 yr-olds. 


I will be ordering this book.  Aaron Burr has been vilified far too long, especially given his true contributions that are part & parcel of our lives today.

Did Isenberg relate Burr's Manhattan Water Co and its twofold purpose?
1)  Eliminating yellow fever by forcing citizens to stop 'whatever' dumping into wells.
2)  Voting rights, which worked like this:  A man was not eligible to vote unless he owned property to at least a 1/20th share.  Burr leased MWC property rights long-term allowing "working men" to vote.

Burr was in favor of the very unpopular notion of womens' rights.  You know --the right to education beyond How to Grind Corn in Your Spare Time for Fun & Profit.
He was adamant that women be legally allowed to inherit property (not all states had this provision) and that marital rape be prosecuted.   Burr also came out in favor of divorce when necessary.

He had a daughter, small wonder.  Most fathers would react the same.


Hamilton was the banker who founded the Bank of America, what did you expect  ;0)

Jefferson (the ever-popular his-g/f-is-a-slave noise aside) was probably the first politician to encourage lobbying and, of course, lobbyist donations to political campaigns.
TJ made Nixon's "executive privelege" claim over the Watergate tapes seem like child's play compared to the stuff he pulled over documents during Burr's treason trial.

Oi. 


Howard, we have certainly gone off-topic here and I apologize for that. 
Can we have a new topic under an existing forum for this?
Or perhaps "American History" as a hobby topic?

thanks,
Trish

 

-- Edited by TrishsTravco on Friday 19th of June 2009 08:23:32 AM