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For refusing the imperial purple, unlike Napoleon decades on, Washington should go down as not just the greatest president, but greater than the sum of all the presidents that follow. Not for what he did after becoming president, but for his abdication while king in all but name.
In 1783, King George III asked an American painter what George Washington would do now that he had virtually won the war. The painter replied that the General intended to return to his farm in Virginia. The King was stunned. He reportedly said, "If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world."
Throughout history, victorious generals almost always seized the throne. From Caesar to Cromwell, military success usually meant political dictatorship. The concept of voluntarily walking away from absolute power was practically unheard of. But George Washington wasn't like other men.
By December 4, 1783, the British surrender at Yorktown was past, and peace was finally assured. Washington commanded a powerful, seasoned army that adored him. Conversely, many of his officers were unpaid and angry at the inefficient Congress. They had the guns, the manpower, and the loyalty to install a new monarch. He could have been King George I of America.
Instead, on this day in history, Washington walked into the Long Room at Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan. The room was filled with his most loyal officers—men like Henry Knox and Baron von Steuben—who had frozen with him at Valley Forge and bled with him for eight long years.
The atmosphere wasn't celebratory. It was heavy with inevitable separation. Washington, usually stoic and commercially reserved, poured a glass of wine and looked at his brothers-in-arms with visible emotion. "With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you," he said, his voice shaking. "I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable." He didn't order them. He didn't demand their allegiance. He hugged them.
One by one, the hardened soldiers wept openly. Washington embraced each man in silence. There was no pomp, no ceremony, and no speeches about future conquests. It was just a quiet goodbye between warriors who had done the impossible. Immediately after leaving the tavern, Washington didn't march on Congress to demand payment or power. He rode to Annapolis, Maryland, resigned his commission, and went home to Mount Vernon to plant crops.
He did the impossible.
He refused the crown.
He trusted the people.
By stepping down, he ensured that the United States would be a republic ruled by laws, not a kingdom ruled by force. He proved that the military serves the people, not the other way around. It was the final, and perhaps greatest, victory of the Revolution.
The world watched in awe as the American Cincinnatus returned his sword to its sheath, proving that character is the strongest constitution of all."
#archaeohistories
jon kessler retweeted
All the forecasters are protesting way too much, as are many pollsters who don't traditionally poll in the end like YouGov and Schar School.
This tells me they want an outcome favorable to Democrats but aren't sure of it.
Cook Political already dropped their final national senate ratings, dated October 30. Despite all the polls and what other forecasters are saying, they didn't put any of the competitive races in Lean D. They did not want to risk their notably "No Lean Call Wrong" reputation with Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio, or even Michigan. They didn't put South Carolina or Nebraska or Mississippi or Florida in Tossup, meaning those races are done. Like, they looked into the future and found no possibilities that those races were won by Dems.
In 2020, Republicans won all the Cook Political tossups except the two that went to runoffs in Georgia. So 5/5 on E-day. This year is really looking like 2020 in terms of polling and forecasting and The Narrative.
In 2022, Democrats swept all the tossup races (4/4) and they were comfortable putting NC and WI in Lean R + WA and NH in Lean D. This year could be a Reverse 2022, especially in the final polls. Final week of polls showed Republicans leading PA NV AZ, and they were wrong because it was Democrats who already voted and didn't feel much need to answer polls.
Democrats stand with the original pedophile, Muhammad, who married a 6 year old and made her a woman at 9. Joe Biden showered with his own daughter, now an off-and-on drug addict. Incestuous pedophile or innocent naturist, Democrats gave him one term, almost gave him another.
Being a public intellectual is a tough gig. Democrats offer sinecures. Getting while the getting is good is the optimal career strategy in general, but especially applicable to pundits whose careers may be as ephemeral as a butterfly's.
jon kessler retweeted
Every “country over party” former Republican who do nothing but take $$$ from vulnerable liberals as a job sure are going hard at Haley Stevens.
jon kessler retweeted
The Washington Examiner gives "White Guilt" a stellar review:
"Born black, Jewish, and deaf, Eli Steele is a shoo-in for the oppression Olympics... Yet, raised by the formidable Shelby Steele, he understands himself as something more than an inventory of identities: an individual...
"Steele makes a persuasive case that the moral infantilization of favored groups has consequences well beyond American race relations...
"Steele's diagnosis is piercing." -- @Harry1T6 for @dcexaminer
Full review: washingtonexaminer.com/resto…
In 1199, Innocent declared all heretic property forfeit. It wasn't just robbery, but a death sentence, since without their property, they would starve to death. Any noble who refused to rob and expel heretical subjects in his own realm was himself subjected to papal robbery.
Cathars were centered on Christ, called themselves Christian. Their issue was pacifism and Innocent's declaration that hunting Cathars for fun and profit could bring life-changing wealth. Centuries on, Protestants girded for war, singed a Pope. Reminded of his mortality, he caved
jon kessler retweeted
Haley Stevens did everything possible to support Abdul El-Sayed for party unity.
All she asked was for him to condemn the rabid Antisemitism of Hasan Piker & Cenk Uygur.
He refused.
Kudos to @HaleyforMI for prioritizing principles over party, and Jewish safety over politics.
jon kessler retweeted
Haha. All the YouGov polls basically have the same Harris +14 margin and 53 share on the unweighted sample. It’s like they basically polled all the states like they’re New York and then weighted them down. I would just compare them to each other, I guess, to get an idea of who is doing best or worst. Or just trash them because it’s YouGov.
jon kessler retweeted
But they're still not citizens and don't have the right to vote, so...
Majority of noncitizen voters charged by DOJ are lawfully in U.S. nbcnews.com/politics/justice…
jon kessler retweeted
I worked with Bill in 2015-2016, I was at the Washington Examiner when he was at Weekly Standard and the man would have a breakdown with each primary Trump won. What a baboon.
jon kessler retweeted
Lol Bill Kristol of all people is shilling for a Senate candidate who hopes Israel is deprived of all weapons and is wiped off the map… and then says that Haley Stevens is the one having a breakdown. Okay.
jon kessler retweeted
Stevens tried everything she could to appease that crowd. she didn't want to do this because she knows it likely means the end of her personal prospects in Dem politics. She tried to give El-Sayed every chance to show he could change or to try to reach the voters he has alienated.
He just refused because it's who he is and she realized that staying in a coalition with people who hate you just to stay in the tent isn't worth it.
jon kessler retweeted
All the way back in April, during the primary, Stevens was booed and attacked at the Michigan Dem convention by DSA activists.
foxnews.com/politics/left-wi…
The far-left might not represent most Dem voters, but they do now control a lot of the Dem Party establishment, and they don't want to share a coalition with Dems like Stevens. She finally accepted that.
I suspect more Dems will come to this realization in coming years. Then it will be up to the Dem Party whether to continue in this direction or repudiate the extremists taking over their party.
jon kessler retweeted
I hate to be the one to say this but El-Sayed is still favored to win this election. He’s gonna have to see huge drop off from black vote and Jews… but at the end of the day, most of Michigan is just average white guys who are pissed off at prices.
If this was 2024, he would lose as would Peggy Flannagan and a few others.
jon kessler retweeted
Yes, we already know he's going to blame the Jews.
jon kessler retweeted
In October, our Defense Forces of Ukraine inflicted record losses on the enemy and recaptured more territory than the Russian occupiers managed to seize.
In just one month, Russia lost 54,400 troops killed or badly wounded. This is a record for any month of the full-scale war. There was also a record for daily losses – the Russian army lost 2,250 troops on October 21. Importantly, we continue to reclaim what is ours. In October, the Defense Forces liberated 96.2 square kilometers of Ukrainian land, which is 10.4 square kilometers more than the occupiers managed to capture during that time.
We thank all our defenders, all our warriors, every brigade, and every unit for this important result for our country. Russia is suffering losses. We are holding our positions, liberating territory, and making every day of the war as costly as possible for the aggressor. To stop these insane losses, all Russia needs to do is choose a ceasefire and diplomacy.
@GeneralStaffUA
