We’ve all seen–whether it’s religion or politics–the familiar strategy of leaders cherry-picking the past, whether holy book or historical tome, to make contemporary points among true- believing followers. Recently Rand Paul, the plagiarism-plagued, libertarian senator from Kentucky, formally referenced Founding Father Samuel Adams to make a crowd-pandering point.
In addressing a Liberty Political Action Conference in Virginia, Paul quoted Adams: “It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”
And that’s how you get 80 or so House Republicans succeeding in partially shutting down the government.
Frankly, I’d rather quote Thomas Jefferson: “All being equally free, no one has a right to say what shall be law for the others. Our way is to put these questions to a vote, and to consider that as law for which the majority votes.”