Benjamin Franklin has always been one of my favorite figures in American history (and it's not just because I live in the Philly area). Besides his subversive brilliance and passion for knowledge, he was a patriot and a man of the world who saw the unlimited potential of the American ideals of liberty and justice for all. Franklin remains an admired figure for most Americans because of his noble achievements.
President War Monkey is not known for his articulation and nuance, but when his verbal train wrecks are compared to the wit & wisdom of a man like Franklin, it's as disturbing as it is amusing.
From Cheers & Jeers on DailyKos:
Bush: "America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud."
Franklin: "All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievous ones. In my opinion, there never was a good war or a bad peace. When will mankind be convinced and agree to settle their difficulties by arbitration?"
Here's some more gems from Franklin's writings & almanacs:
"The greatest monarch on the proudest throne,
is oblig'd to sit upon his own arse."
"Whate'ers begun in anger ends in shame."
"He that would live in peace & at ease,
must not speak all he knows, nor judge all he sees."
"Sell not virtue to purchase wealth,
nor Liberty to purchase power."
"Half the Truth is often a great Lie."
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