Our Government does not seem to pay particularly close attention to history and the lessons that can be learned. What "TJ" as they call him here in Charlottesville, Virginia warned citizens about seems to be coming true. Here are just a few of the priciples he emphasized while helping to found this nation:

" The energies of the nation shall be reserved for improvement of the condition of man, not wasted in his destruction."

" I hope our wisdom will grow with our power and teach us that the less we use our power, the greater it will be."

" The powers of the Chief Executive should be strictly limited and the right of war vested in the legislative body."

" This country will be founded in principles of honesty, not of mere force."

" The primary duty of the chief executive is to inform the minds of the people and to follow their will."

" It is not by the consolidation, or concentration of powers, but by their distribution that good government is effected."

" When all government, domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated."

" I wish… to see maintained that wholesome distribution of powers established by the Constitution for the limitation of both the State and General governments, and never to see all offices transferred to Washington where, further withdrawn from the eyes of the people, they may more secretly be bought and sold as at market."

Wise words, LTTFF. I'm a big Thomas Jefferson fan and earlier this year had the opportunity to visit Monticello and Charlottesville.

While all the founding fathers seemed blessed with insight, I quote Thomas Jefferson the most. Sad to say it, but, all in all, I don't think Americans are good students of history and do not realize 'where they are going' because they have forgotten--or never knew--'where they have been'.....

And, as the old adage goes, 'those who don't learn the lessons of history are destined to repeat it'......