March 27, 2026
The 5,000 Year Leap Discussion Group #5
A Weekley Discussion Held Every Week Via Zoom On Mondays At 7:00 PM Central. We Are discussing the Book The 5,000 Year Leap By W. Cleon Skousen Which Explores The Principles Behind The United States Constitution. If You Want To Join The Class Live & Join The Telegram Group. Those Links Are Here & In Every Episodes Description.
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https://zoom.us/j/98174943775?pwd=Uvi...
Telegram Link
https://t.me/+9IuSww8u_CkyM2E5
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OK, I think we might as well get
started here.
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Let's see.
Corey, could you give us an
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opening prayer, please?
One second there, OK, our dear
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Father in heaven, we're grateful
unto thee today just to come
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together and have a fun
conversation about the
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Constitution, the wonderful
principles that that really
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matter to us, that bring kind of
some understanding of what's
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going on in our world and what
our founders really wanted for
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us.
To bring freedom and prosperous
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environment for all of us so
that we could have all the
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things that we need and want and
see everyone in our communities
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thrive and do well.
And also religious freedom and
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just a better understanding of
right and wrong.
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Anyway, ask that blessing on the
conversation and everyone here
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tonight.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
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Amen.
Amen.
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Thanks, Corey.
So let me share my screen here
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real quick.
So we're, we're on the, this is
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week 5, I believe, of what we're
doing and we're going to try to
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cover two things, two kind of
principles this week.
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One of them is on getting good
leaders, collecting good leaders
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and, and what that takes.
And the other is on religion.
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Now, both of these are pretty
meaty subjects and I'm going to
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do my best, but I'm imagining
there'll be a little bit we'll
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have to clean up next week on
one of these topics here.
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I imagine we won't make it all
the way through the religion
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one.
Maybe we will, but if not, we'll
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just cover it next week.
So it starts out and there's an
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interesting scripture that goes
along with this and it's
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Proverbs 29 two.
And it says when the righteous
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are an authority, the people
rejoice.
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But when the wicked beareth
rule, the people mourn.
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And I don't think there's a more
apt description than people that
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then then the mourning of the
people when we have bad leaders.
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And we're going to talk a little
bit tonight through this one
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particular principle about what
it means to to elect a good
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leader, how you can tell a good
leader.
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And then both some of the
consequences of, of having a bad
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leader and also what we can do.
And in, in kind of upholding the
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values that the Prince that the
founder set in, in getting that
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good leader and examining how it
was they managed to maybe get
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around some of these things.
Or at least looking down the
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road, figuring out how to avoid
certain shipwrecks.
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Starting out with with something
from The Federalist Papers, and
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it's I entitled it in the
absence of angels.
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If men were angels, no
government would be necessary.
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If angels were to govern men,
neither external nor internal
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controls on government would be
necessary.
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Real quick, who wants to take a
stab on on what they think that
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means?
I'll add something.
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I, I think it's kind of a
compromise.
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It's kind of saying that
government's not really adding
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an inherent value in and of
itself, right?
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It's, it's, it's, it's not
necessary other than the flaws
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of human nature.
It's, it's a, it's a
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preventative and A and a, what
do you call a prophylactic
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effort?
Maybe a remedial effort, but
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it's not inherently valuable in
it in and of itself.
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Bureaucracy and all the these
forms and systems, they're, they
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are valuable because we are
fallen, because we live in a
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fallen world, but they're not
valuable in and of themselves
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the way that, say, the gospel
is.
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Sure, 100%.
You know, and, and I also think
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here that, that the founders are
realizing that human nature, I
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mean it, it can change, right?
I, I do believe that there are
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some things we can point to in
this age and say, gosh, you
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know, we, we relatively are a
little bit safer than we have
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been in, in, in centuries past,
But human nature by and large
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doesn't change.
And because of that, we have two
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things that need to be
controlled, right?
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Or at least have limits put on.
One is what man does to each
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other, and then two, what
government can do for man.
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And I think the founders are
kind of noting this problem here
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a little bit.
Does anyone have anything they'd
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like to add here before we move
on?
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I got a thought real quick that
that a government that states
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that it is for the people, by
the people and of the people is
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a tacit admission that everybody
involved is flawed.
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And so a people that a flawed
people that are in need of a
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government and a government that
is made-up of people in need of
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checks and balances. 100% Thanks
Tim and Justin.
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Those were both excellent
comments.
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Just want to also comment that,
you know, there's, you know,
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some folks believe in anarchy,
that no government is, is the
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ideal because hey, we can figure
our our own, we can make choices
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for ourselves and our own family
and friends better than anyone
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else, you know, in in another
community or government.
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And, and while that on the
surface appears to be true and
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it also there, there's some
value in that thinking.
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Yet if you're going to associate
with a lot of other people in a
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in a larger group and do a lot
of trade and business with them
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not having clear boundaries and
rules.
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And also somebody is going to be
responsible for making sure
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those rules are are kept is it's
going to be a problem.
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And we we've seen it and there's
just no situations where we have
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societies that don't have some
leader and system put in place
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so that the trade and business
and that people play nicely
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together to keep the rules.
There's always been a rule
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keeper of some sort in that
society for it to actually
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function and people to do trade,
that kind of a thing.
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Sure.
No good point.
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Anybody else?
All right, so the founders
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recognize that human, that human
nature for what it was, and it's
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a mixture of good and evil.
I wanted to kind of point like
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point this out a little bit.
I wanted to give some examples.
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And so here here's an example of
of leaders who were who were
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good and then one that was was
kind of evil.
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And I'm just going to read a
little bit of their BIOS and I
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want to see if you can just take
a stab at who they were.
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All right, the first one guess
who he leadership during World
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War Two served in office against
the Axis powers, playing a
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crucial role in the Allied plans
won the Nobel Nobel Peace Prize
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in literature for as he kind of
showcased his skills as a writer
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and a historian.
And for his six volume work on
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the history of the of World War
Two, He turned coined the term
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the Iron Curtain.
And in 1946 he described in
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1946, he described the division
between Western democracies and
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Eastern communist countries,
highlighting his influence on
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post war geopolitics.
He was elected five times to
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public office.
Had a long career serving in
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various capacities and shaping
policy over the decades.
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Oratory skills His speeches His
speeches inspired the British
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public during the war, rallying
war, rallying them in times of
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crisis and solidifying his
legacy as a powerful orator.
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Pretty I I'm guessing everyone's
going to get it and someone want
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to take a stab on who that was?
Sounds like Churchill to me.
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That is Churchill.
You're right.
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All right.
Now let's go to the evil guy.
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A Labour Party politician
recently described him as a
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villain for having ordered
troops to fire on striking
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workers in the Welsh town.
I'm not even going to.
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Tony Pandy in 1910 diverted an
entire nation's crops to his own
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country's warehouse and caused a
forced famine, resulting in
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hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Deaths.
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Then when aid came from the USA
and other Western countries, he
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refused to accept that donation,
ensuring that hundreds of
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thousands of people died from a
forced starvation.
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Someone want to take a guess on
who this is?
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OK, that is Winston Churchill.
Yeah.
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I wanted to use this example for
one reason and one reason alone,
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because I believe in Churchill.
We see kind of the gamut of who
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mankind can be.
And if you ask people in India,
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he was absolutely a tyrant.
If you talk to people in the
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West, he is one of the saving
heroes of Western thought and
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democracy.
But nonetheless, we see two
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sides to Winston Churchill here
that absolutely illustrate the
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founders point that people are a
mixed bag.
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And certainly we all have
problems like that, right?
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There's all things that we
struggle with and whatnot, but
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it's important to try to
alleviate or or prevent some of
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the man's more brutal
characteristics coming to the
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forefront as as they govern.
Does anyone have anything they'd
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like to add on that?
And.
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Just that I think there's a lot,
I mean, that can be said for a
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lot of great people that we
consider great leaders in the
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history of the world.
You know, there's, there's
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multiple sides to the story.
You say that with Lincoln,
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there's certainly that way with
somebody like Jackson.
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Many US presidents also have
storied histories, even when the
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even ones that did heroic
things.
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Absolutely.
And look, I'm not doing this to
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throw, throw Winston Churchill
under the bus.
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I'm doing this as kind of an
exercise to show that that
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mankind really is a mixed bag.
And sometimes mankind can be a
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mixed, mixed bag individually,
right?
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Struggling against their own
natures.
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And so I don't want anyone to
think here that I'm in favor of
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tearing down statues or anything
like that.
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All right?
Anybody else?
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All right, so from the reading,
does anybody care to take this
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question?
What were Thomas Jefferson's
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views on aristocracy?
OK, he said there were
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essentially 2 aristocracies.
The first one he he coined the
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term artificial aristocracies.
And this would be the kind of
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aristocracy that they saw back
in England, right?
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Typically its traits are it's
obtained by birth or obtained by
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wealth.
It's given by existing Lords or
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kings.
Often times it was given in
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exchange for favor or loyalty to
a king or a party.
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And so this would be something
where where you would be part of
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the aristocracy simply because
you happen to hit the genetic
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lottery and were born into the
right family with the right last
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name.
And there wasn't a lot of upward
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mobility in in in England or any
of those other places that had a
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monarchy or was ruled by a
tyrant of any sort, whether that
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was 1 tyrant or many.
Usually that aristocracy is sent
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set and you are not going to be
able to make headway up up the
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chain.
The next kind of aristocracy
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that Jefferson talks about is
the natural aristocracy or or
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another term he used for is a
freeman freeman aristocracy.
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And this aristocracy is going to
be obtained by virtue and by
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merit.
It's not passed on by family.
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It's not passed on for political
favors.
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And in America, this, this
aristocracy was left to the
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individual to rise and fall on
themselves.
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And it was never meant to be
passed down.
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And so as, as we break down what
Jefferson's talking about, about
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this natural or freeman
aristocracy, it it's, it's a
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meritocracy that is based on
your merits and your merits
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alone.
And it, it, it kind of gets away
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from, quite frankly, some things
we've seen in the past that I
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think are, are troublesome,
right?
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We have things like Ted Kennedy
serving in the Senate for what
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but the better part of 50 years.
And then we have, you know, the
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the Clintons where, you know,
he's in office.
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Then she becomes a senator.
And there's even talk of, of
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their daughter running.
We even see this a little bit
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with the Bush family as well.
And so it's on both sides.
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But there has been kind of a new
American aristocracy that I
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don't think resembles this
natural aristocracy of this
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freeman aristocracy that
Jefferson was talked about.
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Now, I do want to say that just
because you do have the same
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last name doesn't mean that you
can't stay within this natural
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or freeman aristocracy, right?
I do think obviously as we have
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children and we impart our
morals and values to our
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children, it's very likely that
many of them will follow in our
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footsteps.
So it just because there's the
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same last name doesn't
necessarily mean it's bad.
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Tim, I saw your hand go up.
Yeah, and this might be
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something you get to, but just
while you're on the topic, I
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wanted to add that, you know, I,
I shouldn't even have to say
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that I'm not pro monarchy, but
there is actually an argument to
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be made for the fact that a
Prince is going to receive the
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education of the king and he's
going to be shaped and molded
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into performing that role.
And that kind of thing happens
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in America as well, that the
younger generation is going to
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receive the education of their
father.
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And you can kind of see why it
might go from one generation to
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the next. 100 percent, 100%.
And thanks, Tim, for clarifying
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that too.
That's the point I was kind of
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trying to make is that it
doesn't always necessarily mean
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that it's, it's a corruption,
right?
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It just means like any, like,
it's like anything else, right?
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00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,800
We see a lot of guys go through
professional sports who later on
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their sons do and can be just as
good as they are.
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That doesn't mean that that they
were gifted a position.
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That just means that they
inherited some of their father's
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abilities and whatnot.
Does anyone have anything else
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00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:00,560
they'd like to add to that
before we move on here?
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All right.
Actually, I will.
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I'll hop in real quick.
Yeah, Aristocracy is a loaded
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term that has a lot of baggage
and kind of a lot of negative
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perception to it.
And because for good reason, you
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know, this, this artificial
aristocracy as, as Jefferson
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00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:37,120
phrases it is, is, it's a, it's
a holding on to power when you,
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00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,600
when you have not proven worthy
or you know, you, you, you
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shouldn't right, Right.
But, but shouldn't don't we want
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to have the best possible
leaders?
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Don't we want to have the most
competent, the most virtuous,
250
00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,800
like?
And so this natural aristocracy,
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even though the term might kind
of be a trigger and like have a
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negative connotation because of
all of the abuses of it, there's
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nothing wrong with aristocracy.
It is just simply the most
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competent and virtuous people
running the show and taking care
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of stuff.
Taking care of business like
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00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,880
that is not anything to to have
a problem with.
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I, I just wanted to point out
that there's no better system as
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long as it's fallen mortal
people, there's no better system
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than a natural aristocracy to
have the greatest chance of
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Freedom and Justice and liberty
and all of that.
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And, and so like, as a parent,
we shouldn't be encouraging our
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kids to, to not develop their
talents to not, you know,
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00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,120
improve themselves and, and be
the best that they possibly can.
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And if they are objectively more
qualified and, and competent
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than others, they really, they,
they probably won't want it, but
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they are the ones that should be
holding positions of leadership
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00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,120
and trust and respect and, and,
you know, and government power.
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100% and, and I think the big
take away here is that it needs
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00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,280
to be obtained by merit, right?
And, and we're going to dive
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00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,680
into that a little later.
And I think that's what you're
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00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,640
saying, right, Taylor, is that
it's and, and correct me if I'm
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00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,080
wrong, I don't want to put words
in your mouth, but it's based on
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00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:26,360
the merit, right?
Yeah.
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What?
What is it you have done that
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00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,320
shows that you can be a
competent leader and quite
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00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:37,320
frankly, to stand a post to
safeguard everybody else's
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00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:43,360
rights and responsibilities?
Yeah, and like you were saying,
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00:20:44,120 --> 00:20:47,840
it can be.
It's not like genetic, but no,
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if you have a good dad, then you
have a better chance of being a
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00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:54,880
good man.
You know, if you, if you have a
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00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,720
good mom, you have a better
chance of being a good woman.
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00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:02,800
And so these are, you could call
them a proxy.
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00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:07,360
And but what we can't, what we
have to be careful of wealth,
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which is what, and fame and
popularity, which is how
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00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:16,000
politics often times devolves to
that.
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00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,960
That can be a proxy for
competence, but it isn't.
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00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,000
It it doesn't, it doesn't.
It's not always.
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00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,680
Sometimes it could be a proxy
for or in, in other words, it's
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00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:29,080
a, it's a consequence of
corruption and, you know,
290
00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,360
rigging the game in your favor,
that sort of thing.
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00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,040
So we have to be real careful of
that.
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00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:38,800
Absolutely great points, Taylor
and Tim.
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00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,160
Does anybody else have anything
you'd like to add?
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00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:54,560
OK, so from the reading,
according to to Ben Franklin,
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00:21:55,320 --> 00:22:00,880
these two vices would be
something that people that
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00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:07,440
people would be tempted by in
public office. 1 is ambition and
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00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:12,520
the other is avarice.
So I'm going to throw throw this
298
00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,200
out.
Isn't ambition a good thing?
299
00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,480
Shouldn't we want people to be
ambitious?
300
00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:22,720
Why would ambition be a negative
thing that could tempt people
301
00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:32,770
who hold public office M.
Yeah, it's funny, we actually
302
00:22:32,770 --> 00:22:34,570
kind of talked about this in
priesthood meeting just
303
00:22:34,570 --> 00:22:37,090
yesterday.
It ambition.
304
00:22:37,090 --> 00:22:41,480
Another way to phrase that in,
in a regard that is often
305
00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,600
referred to negatively is the
aspiring spirit that is
306
00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:46,520
sometimes talked about in in
church circles.
307
00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:51,480
And it's the idea that if you're
overly ambitious, perhaps your
308
00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,240
heart isn't in the right place.
Perhaps you're only seeking the
309
00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,000
power or the fame or the
prestige that comes with it and
310
00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,680
that you're not sufficiently
humbled.
311
00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:03,000
And in again, in a religious
setting, it signifies that
312
00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,880
perhaps you haven't sacrificed
your will on the altar of
313
00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:08,280
religion or on the altar of
faith.
314
00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,520
That's that's usually the the
bad things of ambition that
315
00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,920
people are talking about. 100%
can't agree more with you.
316
00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,840
Does anyone else have anything
they'd like to add to that?
317
00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,400
Yeah, it's interesting.
If you study the American
318
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,320
founding, they didn't ever.
I mean, there was warnings all
319
00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,720
over the place talking about we
don't want political parties.
320
00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,800
We don't want we don't want
people campaigning like the the
321
00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,440
concept of of running a campaign
and aspiring to an office.
322
00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:44,240
It was kind of repulsive to a
lot of these founders, right?
323
00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:49,400
And yet that's like just
absolutely business, you know,
324
00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:56,400
today.
And it's because I think the
325
00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,360
this, it's that it's like, like
Tim was just saying that
326
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:03,360
aspiring spirit, when you want
the power, you probably
327
00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:07,120
shouldn't be trusted with it.
And so because like, why do you
328
00:24:07,120 --> 00:24:09,720
want the power?
You know, since you brought up a
329
00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:13,760
religious context, I'm reminded
of Section 121 where it talks
330
00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,400
about we've learned by sad
experiences the nature and
331
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,400
disposition of almost all men.
As soon as they get a little
332
00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,240
power or authorities, they
suppose they immediately begin
333
00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,960
to exercise in righteous
dominion or in other words, be
334
00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:31,480
crappy people.
And so like, this is the the
335
00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:35,320
intent of Ben Franklin and, and
these John Adams, these other
336
00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:39,520
people was to try to nip that in
the bud.
337
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,760
And unfortunately, they weren't
fully successful at it.
338
00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:46,680
But nevertheless they they
attempted to to protect from
339
00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:52,320
this natural human tendency to
basically go corrupt when you
340
00:24:52,320 --> 00:25:01,360
get.
Power 100% you know, there there
341
00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:09,520
is this idea that you have to
run a campaign now because
342
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,960
America is so large.
And look, I do, I do want to say
343
00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,560
this, I don't think running a
campaign in and of itself is, is
344
00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:23,680
wrong, but I do think that the
motives and the motivation
345
00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,160
behind it do need to be
questioned from time to time.
346
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,720
And we're actually going to talk
a little bit about that a little
347
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,240
later here in this in this one
section.
348
00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,520
But Taylor, you're, you're spot
on and 100% right.
349
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:43,680
Anybody else?
All right, so then how would
350
00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:48,680
someone define avarice?
What does it mean to be avarice?
351
00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,440
That would just be greedy.
Greedy, exactly.
352
00:25:57,880 --> 00:25:59,880
Just hogging up that money,
right?
353
00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:03,240
And these were the two things
that Franklin and the founders
354
00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:09,440
were really worried about in
terms of getting good, virtuous
355
00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,560
and moral leaders in place
because they understood human
356
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,240
nature.
And they did take some, or at
357
00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:20,400
least Franklin tried really hard
to take some steps to avert
358
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,360
this.
Unfortunately, it found its way
359
00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:26,480
in by other means that we'll go
over later.
360
00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,360
So those were the two things
that that Franklin in particular
361
00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:34,080
was most worried about in that
that go along with this
362
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,160
principle.
Does anyone have anything they
363
00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:38,880
want to add to that before I
move on?
364
00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:48,960
OK, this is a quote from Ben
Franklin that I wanted to read
365
00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,560
because I I feel like he really
sums us up really well.
366
00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:56,040
Let me move this out of the way
here, Sir.
367
00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:59,200
There are two passions which
have a powerful influence on the
368
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,560
affairs of men.
They are ambition and avarice,
369
00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,200
the love of power and the love
of money.
370
00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,320
Separately.
Each of these has great force in
371
00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:13,000
prompting men to action, but
when united in view of the same
372
00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:17,240
object, they have in many minds
the most violent effects.
373
00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:21,800
Placed before the eyes of such
men, a post of honor that shall
374
00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:25,520
at the same time be a place of
profit, and they will move
375
00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,600
heaven and earth to obtain it.
The vast number of such places
376
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:34,760
it is that renders the British
Government so temptress the
377
00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,720
struggles for them are the true
sources of all those factions
378
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:43,960
which are perpetually dividing
the nation, distracting its
379
00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:49,160
councils, hurrying sometimes
into fruitful, fruitless and
380
00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:54,880
mischievous wars, and often
compelling A submission to
381
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:59,520
dishonorable terms of peace.
And that comes out of the notes
382
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,120
of the Constitutional
Convention.
383
00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,480
But Franklin was 100% correct on
this.
384
00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:09,160
Does anyone have anything they
would like to to say in regards
385
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:16,720
to this?
I just think that this is kind
386
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:21,320
of a tricky one in our modern
day and age, to be honest with
387
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:26,040
the Arvis because, well, it's
not about salaries anymore.
388
00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:32,280
You know, there are so many ways
to monetize a political
389
00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,880
position.
OK, Yep, I was going to get to.
390
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,560
This some of which I was.
Going to get to this later, but
391
00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:40,240
let's do this now.
This is good.
392
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:45,240
OK, explain, Explain how it can
be monetized now, Justin?
393
00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:51,880
Well, there's a lot of ways you
can, we have a, you know, not to
394
00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:53,800
dunk on anybody in particular,
right?
395
00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:59,280
But I mean, we've got presidents
launching meme coins outside of
396
00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:00,800
that.
There's a there's a gambling
397
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:05,800
market called Pauly market that
somebody made half $1,000,000 on
398
00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,280
the other day by predicting the
Iran war attack.
399
00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:15,680
Now that's kind of a dumb thing
to be gambling on in my opinion,
400
00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,120
because all it takes is 1
insider to go in there and, and,
401
00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:24,040
and collect.
But nonetheless, you've got
402
00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,440
people gambling on that kind of
thing.
403
00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:32,320
You have insider information and
stock trading, you've got kind
404
00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:36,680
of quid pro quo business deals.
You know, you scratch my back
405
00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,120
and, and you set me up once I'm
out of office.
406
00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,640
You know, I mean, there's just
so many ways, there's so many
407
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,560
ways of corruption that I don't
think it's possible anymore to
408
00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,920
really keep track and, and know
all of them.
409
00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:55,160
Be aware of all, even just
campaign donations can be a form
410
00:29:55,160 --> 00:30:02,920
of of corruption in this
regards. 100% I think the
411
00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:06,320
president's salary now and, and
someone can correct me if I'm
412
00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:09,400
wrong, if someone wants to Fact
Check this real quick, I think
413
00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,240
it's still set at $250,000 a
year.
414
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,960
Is does anyone have that by
chance?
415
00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,040
Let me, I can look it up here
too real quick.
416
00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:18,520
I should have had this
beforehand.
417
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:32,200
No, excuse me, it's $400,000 now
monthly.
418
00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:38,680
Wow, they really went for it?
Oh, an annual salary of 400
419
00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:41,440
four, 100,000 a year paid
monthly.
420
00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,840
OK, I see what they were saying.
I misread that.
421
00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,440
Yeah, so.
And, and look, that's a large
422
00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,240
sum of money.
He's going to be, he's going to
423
00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,440
be a millionaire by the time he
walks out of there.
424
00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:57,080
However, in the grand scheme of
things, it's not that much.
425
00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:00,720
There have been politicians that
have went to Washington making
426
00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:06,760
like 100,000 a year and then
they leave Washington darn near
427
00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:10,440
billionaires.
And when you start looking at
428
00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:15,960
the insider trading, when you
start looking at the, at, at the
429
00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:21,760
special interest groups and the
lobbyists, it, it becomes pretty
430
00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:24,000
apparent where, where things are
done.
431
00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:30,560
When I was living back East, I,
I did something, I, I went to
432
00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,400
Philadelphia, I went to
Independence Hall, I went to,
433
00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,640
you know, the square, I saw the
Constitution Center.
434
00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,880
Then we went up and we saw you,
I mean, went down and saw
435
00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,760
Yorktown.
And then as we came back home,
436
00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:48,200
we went to DC and someone told
me that it was on K St. in
437
00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:50,840
Washington, where all the
lobbyists are.
438
00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,680
And that was the busiest St. in
all of Washington that day.
439
00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,120
I don't know if it's always that
way, but it was that day and
440
00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,840
before where you could go to
some of those sites that were
441
00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:05,160
closer to the revolution and the
spirit would testify something
442
00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:09,480
important happened right here.
I remember walking down K St.
443
00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,000
and it was the exact opposite
feeling.
444
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,360
It was a dark feeling.
And there was no doubt that
445
00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,960
that's where the levers of power
were really getting pulled.
446
00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:21,680
Taylor.
Yeah.
447
00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,880
And so like there's a book that
Ogden Kraut wrote called The
448
00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:31,080
Four Crafts and he talks about
priestcraft, statecraft, lawyer
449
00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:34,840
craft and doctor craft.
And you we could maybe think of
450
00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,000
even more, but those that's a
good kind of summation.
451
00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,000
And and so I just wanted to
point out one quick little
452
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:45,920
thing, a point of hypocrisy,
because the the Book of Mormon
453
00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,920
condemns priestcraft and yet so
often.
454
00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,480
And so like we've been talking
about civil government for the
455
00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:55,880
most part in this discussion.
This book is kind of more
456
00:32:55,880 --> 00:33:00,680
devoted to that.
But but I think we can translate
457
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:05,840
these principles in other areas
as well and see the same fall in
458
00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:10,280
human nature, tendencies and
problems because you look at so
459
00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:16,400
many of the the like the
Mormonism restoration branches.
460
00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:20,720
I come from the church and it
was it was just kind of bizarre
461
00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:26,160
to see very humble people to get
called into the quorum of 12
462
00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,720
apostles.
And suddenly, you know, and it's
463
00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:32,520
not, I'm not saying that the
church directly even does it,
464
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,880
although it does some some to
some degree from some documents
465
00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:41,120
that were leaked years ago.
But like if you get called, you
466
00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:44,000
were an instant celebrity and
then you put out a book and you
467
00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:45,760
get you have like a captive
audience.
468
00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,640
You're guaranteed to get a
hundreds of thousands of sales.
469
00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:54,040
And so like these very people
that came in to those positions
470
00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:58,800
quite humble all of a sudden are
like slinging massive amounts of
471
00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:02,960
money around.
And, and, and, you know, in
472
00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,840
fundamentalism, there's nothing
quite that egregious, but there
473
00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:13,600
are nevertheless instances where
people, what do they say?
474
00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,360
Power corrupts absolute power
corrupts absolutely.
475
00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:20,080
And so you look at a guy like
Warren Jeffs who, who got into
476
00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:24,840
the position of absolute power
in that, in that situation, and
477
00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:28,840
he's an easy punching bag
because all of his skeletons are
478
00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:31,320
out in the open now.
But, you know, I think that that
479
00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:35,719
similar principle can, can also
apply in every organ.
480
00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:40,239
It it its potential to apply in
every church organization.
481
00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:42,440
So it's something that we need
to be constantly vigilant
482
00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,600
against.
And you know, from not just
483
00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,840
ourselves, but also if we, if
we, if we sustain our leaders,
484
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,719
that doesn't mean that we say,
we're saying we'll do whatever
485
00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,800
you tell us, boss.
What it says is that if we see
486
00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:01,200
them falling into these types of
traps of the adversary that we
487
00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:07,040
are promising to help them
repent, you know, bring it to
488
00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:08,760
their attention.
Maybe they just don't, they
489
00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:10,280
don't realize where they're
headed.
490
00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:14,720
That's part of our sacred
covenant to, to sustain our
491
00:35:14,720 --> 00:35:21,280
leaders is to help them see when
they're falling into these same
492
00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,840
types of traps and, and, and
things like that.
493
00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:29,480
Absolutely.
OK, so now I'm going to open
494
00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:31,520
this up for a little bit more
discussion here.
495
00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:37,640
And I'm going to ask us to, to
think back to that first
496
00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:42,800
discussion we had here where I,
I threw out a bunch of quotes,
497
00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:49,240
some from from Mormon leaders,
some from the early founders.
498
00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:53,440
And the one I'm going to, you
know, preface this whole this,
499
00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,280
this, this part of the
discussion with come from
500
00:35:56,280 --> 00:36:01,480
Washington right before they,
they take the vote on the
501
00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:05,160
Constitution at the convention.
And he says, gentlemen, these
502
00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:10,680
many months we've labored here
together and we now are in a
503
00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:14,040
position to vote on this
document.
504
00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:18,440
And he says, let us raise a
standard to which the wise and
505
00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:23,280
noble can repair.
The event is now in God's hands.
506
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,560
What Washington is saying there
is that the Constitution isn't
507
00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:32,840
perfect and I don't think it was
ever meant to be.
508
00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:36,000
I think it's darn good.
I think it's worth preserving.
509
00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:39,520
But I do think that there is
room for improvement.
510
00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:44,280
So let's you know, all you guys
are wise and noble.
511
00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:48,160
Let's let me ask you this.
How would you solve this problem
512
00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,760
if any of you had the
opportunity?
513
00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,000
And I'm just looking for ideas
because I think it's a a good
514
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:57,080
thought exercise.
How would you fix the problem at
515
00:36:57,080 --> 00:37:01,720
hand of avarice?
The love of money getting in the
516
00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:16,440
way of good government.
This is a little out there and
517
00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:20,560
it might not be a long term
solution, but I think that maybe
518
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:24,080
for a year or two Congress has
to fund every law they pass
519
00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:28,080
personally.
Oh, I like that.
520
00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:31,920
I like that a lot.
Anybody else?
521
00:37:39,010 --> 00:37:41,610
This is a little bit of a
tangent, but if I think it
522
00:37:41,610 --> 00:37:45,090
directly speaks to what you, you
know, this discussion you're
523
00:37:45,090 --> 00:37:48,850
bringing up, Alexis de
Tocqueville was a French guy, a
524
00:37:48,850 --> 00:37:52,210
French author, and he, he wrote
a book called Democracy in
525
00:37:52,210 --> 00:37:55,640
America.
And de Tocqueville, he talks
526
00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:59,800
about how, yes, America has this
thriving government, but it was
527
00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,320
a very small government in those
days, right?
528
00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:06,280
It was an extremely limited in
scope like the federal
529
00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:08,920
government was nothing like it
is today.
530
00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:14,040
But he talks about six other
institutions that make America
531
00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:18,320
great and is is making this
experiment in democracy work in
532
00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:25,040
America and he talks about them
being family, church, academia,
533
00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:35,160
media, local government.
I had Claire, I'm talking and so
534
00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:40,800
and, and so I just think that
this the media, the, if the, if
535
00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:45,240
we had journalists that were
actually doing journalism rather
536
00:38:45,240 --> 00:38:49,440
than just cheerleader ISM, I
guess, for lack of a better
537
00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:55,720
word, that would actually expose
when so and so gets caught being
538
00:38:55,720 --> 00:38:58,560
naughty.
You know, 'cause the American
539
00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,640
people is as corrupt as we've
become as a people.
540
00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:07,120
Like we still don't we, we still
have some scruples and we still
541
00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:11,880
would have some outrage, but
often times the worst
542
00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:16,600
corruptions are covered up and,
and, and it makes the media
543
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:20,600
complicit in, in covering the
sins of the of the elected
544
00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,720
officials anyway.
So I just was going to just say
545
00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:26,360
I don't there's since we're
talking about like wish list
546
00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:32,040
items, man, if there could, if
the if the media could repent
547
00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:36,040
and do their job, I think that
that would bring, you know, a
548
00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:43,160
lot of light into the actual,
you know, problems that are very
549
00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:44,680
ubiquitous in our government
today.
550
00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:47,440
No, I couldn't agree with you
more.
551
00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,720
And, and in a way, I think I
think that correction might be
552
00:39:50,720 --> 00:39:53,240
happening.
I think this last presidential
553
00:39:53,240 --> 00:39:59,680
election cycle showed the power
of Independent Voices podcast,
554
00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,000
right?
I'll just give the example.
555
00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:09,800
Joe Rogan made the offer to both
Trump and his VP as well as
556
00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:14,720
Kamala and her VP to come to his
studio to have a long form
557
00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:17,080
conversation where he would ask
questions.
558
00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:22,600
Trump and Vance said Yep we're
there, we'll do it.
559
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:26,800
Gave like 3 hours, they went for
it and that was it.
560
00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:31,840
When it came time to Kamala
Harris and her camp, they said,
561
00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:36,200
well we'll do it, but it's got
to stick to an hour and you have
562
00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:38,800
to come to us.
And it would have been an
563
00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:42,480
unlevel playing field.
And I think and, and Rogan was
564
00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:47,400
very clear on that as he went to
it because they kind of tried to
565
00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:53,520
blame him that they weren't on
and it came out on what had
566
00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:57,000
happened.
And I do think that that may
567
00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,720
have had some influence on
shifting the election, perhaps.
568
00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:04,240
I, I can't say for certain, but
I do wonder if that's not
569
00:41:04,240 --> 00:41:05,960
already starting to be
corrected.
570
00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:09,040
Because you're right, Taylor,
the, the media is a problem
571
00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:14,040
when, when we can't get get
accurate news, we I see your
572
00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:15,560
hand up.
What do you have there, brother?
573
00:41:24,720 --> 00:41:33,610
You're still on mute, Sir.
Can you hear me now, Dave?
574
00:41:34,410 --> 00:41:35,290
Yep.
Gotcha.
575
00:41:35,730 --> 00:41:37,450
OK.
I was just going to say I think
576
00:41:37,450 --> 00:41:41,130
that the term limits is a really
good place to start.
577
00:41:41,130 --> 00:41:46,530
I think that the presidential
term should be shortened to a
578
00:41:46,530 --> 00:41:51,450
couple of years.
And you know, the rest of the
579
00:41:51,450 --> 00:41:54,720
term limits should definitely
not be lifetime.
580
00:41:54,720 --> 00:41:56,480
They should be shortened as
well.
581
00:41:56,480 --> 00:42:02,200
I think it takes quite a while
to, to put your, your motives
582
00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:09,120
into a fruitful action, you
know, So if you didn't, if you
583
00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:12,160
was in there a long time, you
would have way more opportunity
584
00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:14,800
to mop up all you wanted to with
greed.
585
00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:19,640
But if you didn't have time to
pull that off, it would be late.
586
00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:24,080
Way less enticing to try to run
with a I'll motive.
587
00:42:25,920 --> 00:42:30,040
Gotcha.
Anyone have anything in
588
00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:35,680
response?
Yeah, I'll comment on that.
589
00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:40,280
One of my friends who's a
marketing genius and knows a lot
590
00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:46,320
of things that I am not up to
on, on just the latest and
591
00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:48,200
greatest.
He's just fantastic.
592
00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:51,800
Anyway, he's commented
politically for one of the first
593
00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:53,880
times on his.
Over the last.
594
00:42:53,880 --> 00:43:00,560
Year on that topic and he said
he said that with the Epstein
595
00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:03,880
file release and all of this
corruption that we're seeing
596
00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:09,440
that almost everyone in politics
kind of had some some skeletons
597
00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:12,560
in their closet that people are
kind of using against them to
598
00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:17,680
get whatever they want and
probably blackmail ish And you
599
00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:21,920
know we know that Clintons and
his intern and that now it's
600
00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:25,280
come out apparently that he's
gone to Epstein island a bunch
601
00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:27,560
of times whatever the real story
is there.
602
00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:35,160
But his his thesis is that we
should have term limits because
603
00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:40,960
the longer people are there in
service in public service, the
604
00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:43,480
more skeletons they'll have and
the more likely that they'll
605
00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:46,160
have some but something that
people can use against him and
606
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:48,960
you know when it really comes to
it.
607
00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:56,200
Who are the greatest people in
politics today The the guy that
608
00:43:56,200 --> 00:44:00,960
comes to mind is Ron Paul.
He's been in office for multiple
609
00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:03,880
years.
He has always had virtuous moral
610
00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:09,760
character and with his insight
into how the game has been
611
00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:12,880
playing played over decades of
time.
612
00:44:13,560 --> 00:44:16,040
He's one of the greatest forces
in politics.
613
00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:21,120
I would not want to see this guy
not continue in whatever he
614
00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:25,560
wanted to do in the example that
he's been setting and he is a
615
00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:28,720
virtuous and sticks by
principles.
616
00:44:28,720 --> 00:44:30,360
And he's not been subject to
that.
617
00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:34,640
But yes, it does seem that the
majority of people who are
618
00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:38,000
elected seem to get themselves
their, their little hands dirty
619
00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:40,560
and something once they go to
DC.
620
00:44:40,560 --> 00:44:45,400
And certainly, certainly that
seems to be an an issue.
621
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:50,680
Yet there's also another thing
that people haven't really
622
00:44:50,680 --> 00:44:57,000
thought of with that term limits
is having a, a constitutional
623
00:44:57,000 --> 00:45:00,880
convention to, to even implement
it, which opens the door to the
624
00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:06,520
idea of our entire Constitution
being revamped for just that,
625
00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:13,000
for just that reason.
So there's there's sometimes
626
00:45:13,000 --> 00:45:17,160
bigger implications and bigger
things at stake on, on some of
627
00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:20,000
these little tweaks that that we
that sound really good.
628
00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:24,360
Because actually I kind of lean
towards what Alan is saying, you
629
00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:27,440
know, when he says, hey, look,
you know, the longer these
630
00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:31,360
little corrupt people are are
there in DC, the more dirt you
631
00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:33,800
got on them.
And and we are seeing that
632
00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:36,760
really play out in our day.
So yeah.
633
00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:43,040
Thanks guys.
You know, one, one of the things
634
00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:47,720
I thought about was if I, I
definitely think term limits can
635
00:45:47,720 --> 00:45:51,920
be a good idea.
I do like the the idea of having
636
00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:55,400
people in there who know the
problems, right?
637
00:45:55,400 --> 00:46:00,000
So kind of a continuity thing.
Kind of my thought was as long
638
00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,480
as you're ascending, you can
stay there, right.
639
00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:05,600
So if you're a congressman and
you become a senator, that's
640
00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:07,440
great.
And then from a senator, if you
641
00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:09,280
become president, that's good
too.
642
00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:12,160
And then after that, you should
probably be done.
643
00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:15,320
But no, all all good stuff.
I appreciate it.
644
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:17,440
All right.
Anything else anyone wants to
645
00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:20,640
add before we move on?
Lee, did you have something
646
00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:21,960
else?
I saw your hand was still up,
647
00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:28,170
bro.
Yes.
648
00:46:28,170 --> 00:46:30,530
Not OK.
We'll move on here.
649
00:46:33,050 --> 00:46:36,650
I just want to read this because
this is kind of a a little bit
650
00:46:36,650 --> 00:46:39,530
of a prophecy that that Ben
Franklin had.
651
00:46:39,530 --> 00:46:43,080
He said, Sir, though we may set
out in the beginning with
652
00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:47,440
moderate salaries, we shall find
that such will not be for long
653
00:46:47,440 --> 00:46:52,200
of long continuance reasons.
We'll never be wanting for
654
00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:56,600
proposed augmentations, and
there will always be a party for
655
00:46:56,600 --> 00:47:00,800
giving more to the rulers, that
the rulers may be able in return
656
00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:04,960
to give more to them.
Hence, as all history informs
657
00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:09,040
us, there has been in every
state and Kingdom a constant
658
00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:13,160
kind of warfare between the
governing and the governed, the
659
00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:16,640
one striving to obtain more for
its support and the other to
660
00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:21,440
payless.
And this has alone occasioned
661
00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:26,400
great convulsions, actual civil
wars, ending either in
662
00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:31,400
dethroning of the Princess or
ever, or enslaving of the people
663
00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:34,360
generally.
Indeed, the ruling power carries
664
00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:38,400
its point, and we see the
revenues of Princess constantly
665
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:43,000
increasing, and we see that they
are never satisfied, but always
666
00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:46,400
in want of more.
The more the people are
667
00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:50,040
discontented with the oppression
of taxes, the greater need the
668
00:47:50,040 --> 00:47:54,640
Prince has of money to
distribute among his partisans
669
00:47:55,040 --> 00:48:00,000
and pay the troops that are to
suppress all resistance and
670
00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:02,000
enable him to plunder at
pleasure.
671
00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:08,640
Here it's interesting because
Franklin isn't necessarily
672
00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:11,360
prophesying, he's just looking
at history, right?
673
00:48:11,680 --> 00:48:15,680
Especially that part about pay
the troops that are to suppress
674
00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:18,880
all resistance.
I think he's referencing Rome
675
00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:22,280
there with the Praetorian Guard.
Towards the end of the Roman
676
00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:25,560
Empire, the Praetorian Guard was
the important function.
677
00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:29,320
If an emperor got in that they
didn't like, they would just
678
00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:31,640
assassinate him and have another
one installed.
679
00:48:32,320 --> 00:48:35,680
And so this ever increasing
spending.
680
00:48:35,680 --> 00:48:39,480
I think we can look at this both
from the presidential standpoint
681
00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:44,520
and the individual, as well as a
ton of other things ranging from
682
00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:49,040
increasing payments to all of
Congress to the military
683
00:48:49,040 --> 00:48:52,040
industrial complex.
The whole thing is just littered
684
00:48:52,040 --> 00:48:56,880
with money and avarice.
Excuse me, money and and wanton
685
00:48:56,880 --> 00:48:59,600
power.
Does anyone else have anything
686
00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:05,800
they'd like to add here before
we move on Good deal.
687
00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:13,080
So this was his Ben Ben Franklin
solution.
688
00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:18,640
He said Sir, though we may set
out well, never mind I missed
689
00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:23,520
did that one here.
It is there a scarce a king and
690
00:49:23,520 --> 00:49:25,960
100.
Who would not, if he could
691
00:49:26,400 --> 00:49:30,280
follow the example of Pharaoh,
get first all the people's
692
00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:33,960
money, then all their lands, and
then make them and their
693
00:49:33,960 --> 00:49:38,320
children servants forever?
It will be said that we do not
694
00:49:39,160 --> 00:49:42,720
propose to establish kings.
I know it, but there is a
695
00:49:42,720 --> 00:49:46,120
natural inclination in mankind
to kingly government.
696
00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:52,080
It sometimes relieves them from
the aristocratic domination.
697
00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:55,640
They had rather have one tyrant
than 500.
698
00:49:56,080 --> 00:50:00,160
It gives more of the appearance
of equality among citizens, and
699
00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:03,960
that they like.
I am apprehensive, therefore,
700
00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:07,960
perhaps too apprehensive, that
the government of these states
701
00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:11,120
may in future times end in
monarchy.
702
00:50:11,480 --> 00:50:15,880
But this catastrophe, I think,
may be long delayed, if in our
703
00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:19,880
proposed system we do not sow
the seeds of contention,
704
00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:24,560
faction, and tumult by making
our posts of honor places of
705
00:50:24,560 --> 00:50:28,240
profit.
If we do, I fear that through
706
00:50:28,240 --> 00:50:32,680
though we employ at first a
number, and not a single person,
707
00:50:33,720 --> 00:50:38,160
the number will in time be set
aside, and it will only nourish
708
00:50:38,240 --> 00:50:43,200
the the fetus of a king, as the
honorable gentleman from
709
00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:45,800
Virginia very aptly expressed
it.
710
00:50:46,120 --> 00:50:49,680
And a king will the sooner be
set over us.
711
00:50:51,360 --> 00:50:56,560
And as Justin pointed out, this
isn't just about taxing right or
712
00:50:56,920 --> 00:50:59,520
or anything else.
There is multiple ways now of
713
00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:03,600
getting rich while serving in in
these posts.
714
00:51:04,280 --> 00:51:08,280
And it's it's a problem that I
think does need to be contended
715
00:51:08,280 --> 00:51:10,640
with at some point.
But it was something that the
716
00:51:10,640 --> 00:51:14,680
founders even saw coming.
I don't think we should be
717
00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:18,520
surprised by this whatsoever.
Does anyone have any comments
718
00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:22,320
for for this section here this
reading from Franklin?
719
00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:35,120
OK, Vanessa, I see your hand go
up.
720
00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:41,040
Yeah, kind of to address the the
first quote that you had from
721
00:51:41,120 --> 00:51:47,320
Ben Franklin talking about kind
of leaders and needing more
722
00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:52,200
money and then and using that to
so their needs are greater and
723
00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:54,000
then the they have to keep
taxing.
724
00:51:54,000 --> 00:52:00,160
And it reminds me of kind of
some of the criticisms of the
725
00:52:00,160 --> 00:52:04,720
Democratic Party where they're
trying to bring in voters and
726
00:52:04,720 --> 00:52:08,160
they promised them all this
money in return for their vote.
727
00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:12,240
So it's kind of like this, the
circular thing where if they can
728
00:52:12,240 --> 00:52:15,080
take all the tax money and
reward people to keep them in
729
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:19,080
power, then they keep rewarding
and then they keep taking taxes.
730
00:52:19,240 --> 00:52:22,120
And so that's what I thought
about when I first read that
731
00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:25,560
quote.
And you're 100% correct.
732
00:52:25,560 --> 00:52:29,400
That is exactly the kind of
cycle that Franklin was trying
733
00:52:29,400 --> 00:52:34,440
to warn about.
And so somehow we have, oh, I
734
00:52:34,440 --> 00:52:36,360
heard somebody.
Else that I would just add that
735
00:52:36,360 --> 00:52:38,640
swings every direction too,
though that's not just a
736
00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:41,440
Democrat issue.
We recently just had Donald
737
00:52:41,440 --> 00:52:46,360
Trump.
He he, he's pushing for immunity
738
00:52:46,360 --> 00:52:52,000
to Bayer, the company that makes
the glisophates for the for the
739
00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:56,440
crops and is ordering them to
produce some for the government
740
00:52:56,960 --> 00:53:00,400
in a bid to protect them from
any kind of legal liability.
741
00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:04,800
And there's no explanation for
that other than there's some
742
00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:06,920
sort of a quid pro quo going on
there.
743
00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:10,640
Right, it looks like just a
problem with just politicians in
744
00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:12,440
general, which is what he was
warning about.
745
00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:16,600
Yeah, yeah, it's everybody
that's the problem, right?
746
00:53:16,600 --> 00:53:19,000
That's why I'm like, I, I get
where Benjamin Franklin's coming
747
00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:22,280
from on, on how you solve that,
but it's I also don't because
748
00:53:22,280 --> 00:53:26,200
how do you stop that other than
maybe like if you run for public
749
00:53:26,200 --> 00:53:28,840
office, your your bank accounts
get frozen.
750
00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:31,560
You get put up, you get room and
board at the White House for
751
00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:35,360
your presidency or for your term
in Congress, and you can't.
752
00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:37,600
You can't make any money.
In the meantime, your bank
753
00:53:37,600 --> 00:53:42,560
accounts are all frozen.
Yeah, no, it it's, it's a tricky
754
00:53:42,560 --> 00:53:46,520
problem from for sure.
And it it is something that at
755
00:53:46,520 --> 00:53:48,840
some point I think will have to
be remedied.
756
00:53:49,880 --> 00:53:53,440
I'm not so ignorant as to say or
arrogant, I should say, as to
757
00:53:53,440 --> 00:53:56,240
say that I think I have the
perfect solution for that.
758
00:53:57,160 --> 00:54:00,640
I would definitely want guys
around me, you know, around way
759
00:54:00,640 --> 00:54:02,560
smarter than me to help parse
that out.
760
00:54:05,800 --> 00:54:10,920
All right, so in moving on here,
yeah, I want to ask this
761
00:54:10,920 --> 00:54:14,440
question, If money and power
shouldn't be the motivation for
762
00:54:14,440 --> 00:54:17,600
public office, then what should
the motivation be?
763
00:54:25,730 --> 00:54:29,530
Anybody.
Noble and sincere interest in
764
00:54:29,530 --> 00:54:34,850
the welfare of the country. 100
percent, 100%.
765
00:54:35,370 --> 00:54:37,730
I think it's love of country and
countrymen.
766
00:54:37,730 --> 00:54:44,800
I'm going to read something here
from Franklin, and this is given
767
00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:46,760
in the Constitutional
Convention.
768
00:54:47,560 --> 00:54:49,800
He's referencing George
Washington.
769
00:54:50,200 --> 00:54:53,120
But because Washington is there,
he doesn't name him by name
770
00:54:53,120 --> 00:54:55,160
because he doesn't wish to
embarrass him or make him
771
00:54:55,160 --> 00:54:59,800
uncomfortable, because that sort
of heaping of praise Washington
772
00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:04,480
was not a fan of whatsoever.
And he says, to bring the matter
773
00:55:04,480 --> 00:55:08,560
closer to home, have we not seen
the greatest and most important
774
00:55:08,560 --> 00:55:12,600
of our offices, that of general
of our armies, executed for
775
00:55:12,640 --> 00:55:17,160
eight years together, without
the smallest of salary by a
776
00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:21,440
patriot whom I will not now
offend by any other praise?
777
00:55:22,000 --> 00:55:26,320
And this through fatigues and
distresses in common with the
778
00:55:26,320 --> 00:55:31,080
other brave men, his military
friends and companions, and the
779
00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:34,520
constant anxieties peculiar to
his station.
780
00:55:35,800 --> 00:55:41,040
Washington not only never took a
salary for what he did, it was a
781
00:55:41,040 --> 00:55:45,400
net negative to Washington
because Washington at one point
782
00:55:45,920 --> 00:55:50,560
he calls for a chaplain to be in
his army, right?
783
00:55:50,560 --> 00:55:53,040
He said we need a a chaplain
here.
784
00:55:53,720 --> 00:55:57,760
And he petitions Congress and
Congress doesn't do anything.
785
00:55:58,920 --> 00:56:01,560
This is the part where I like to
say the more things change, the
786
00:56:01,560 --> 00:56:07,520
more they stay the same.
So Washington pays out of pocket
787
00:56:08,200 --> 00:56:13,520
for his minister to follow his
army around so that the the men
788
00:56:13,520 --> 00:56:20,320
had access to spiritual care.
But Washington, as he always is,
789
00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:26,080
is the shining example of of how
we should should look at at at
790
00:56:26,080 --> 00:56:31,280
public office.
Taylor brought up kind of
791
00:56:31,280 --> 00:56:37,080
culture in the LDS Church, and
there was a running joke that I
792
00:56:37,080 --> 00:56:40,680
remember for a lot of years in
the in the LDS church, which was
793
00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:44,400
who's the guy that shouldn't be
Bishop, the guy who wants it the
794
00:56:44,400 --> 00:56:48,960
most.
And I think that that applies
795
00:56:48,960 --> 00:56:53,160
here.
And I think one of the reasons
796
00:56:53,160 --> 00:57:01,560
that we don't have more
regulation on our public
797
00:57:01,560 --> 00:57:06,120
officials, it's because I
honestly, I think to the
798
00:57:06,120 --> 00:57:12,200
founders, this idea of becoming
a career politician just was so
799
00:57:12,920 --> 00:57:17,040
disgusting to them.
There was this idea that you
800
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:20,720
would, you would be called on by
your electorate, right?
801
00:57:21,400 --> 00:57:25,200
People from your, your home
area, like, you know what, we,
802
00:57:25,200 --> 00:57:28,200
we know who, who, who Justin
Frankham is.
803
00:57:28,200 --> 00:57:29,920
He's a good guy.
We're going to send him to
804
00:57:29,920 --> 00:57:35,360
Congress to to represent us.
And then he would go, he would
805
00:57:35,360 --> 00:57:39,040
serve, and then he would come
home and go back to his
806
00:57:39,040 --> 00:57:43,400
vocation.
And the salary that he got was
807
00:57:43,400 --> 00:57:48,160
simply a way of trying to
compensate him for his time away
808
00:57:48,160 --> 00:57:53,640
from his his his livelihood.
Franklin also said the beautiful
809
00:57:53,640 --> 00:57:56,320
thing about the American system
is that the people will never
810
00:57:56,320 --> 00:58:01,040
raise a hand against themselves.
And when you look at the context
811
00:58:01,040 --> 00:58:05,280
of what he's talking about, it's
this idea that if this truly is
812
00:58:05,280 --> 00:58:10,680
a government by the people and
the citizenry is in charge, and
813
00:58:10,680 --> 00:58:14,000
there's a chance that all people
might have an opportunity to
814
00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:16,440
serve, a good chunk of the
population serve.
815
00:58:17,040 --> 00:58:19,920
You're not going to do anything
that's going to make your life
816
00:58:19,920 --> 00:58:24,800
difficult when you are no longer
a congressman or a senator or a
817
00:58:24,800 --> 00:58:26,840
president or any of those other
things.
818
00:58:27,280 --> 00:58:30,640
And it's only been since the
advent of career politicians
819
00:58:31,080 --> 00:58:34,840
that we start seeing this become
a bigger and bigger issue.
820
00:58:35,240 --> 00:58:36,800
Lee, I saw your hand go up there
again.
821
00:58:36,800 --> 00:58:39,760
Brother, what you got?
OK.
822
00:58:39,760 --> 00:58:41,720
When you were talking about
motivation.
823
00:58:43,160 --> 00:58:45,520
Can you hear me, Dave?
I can, Yep.
824
00:58:46,600 --> 00:58:49,280
OK, when you were talking about
motivation there and what it
825
00:58:49,280 --> 00:58:53,000
should be, it made me think of,
I don't remember if it was the
826
00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:58,520
prophet Samuel or if it was
Jeremiah, but the the prophet
827
00:58:58,600 --> 00:59:02,080
had gone through a lot of
persecution in his life for
828
00:59:02,080 --> 00:59:05,680
preaching the gospel or giving
the word of God, you know, to
829
00:59:05,680 --> 00:59:09,640
the people.
And and he he goes on this kind
830
00:59:09,640 --> 00:59:12,240
of rant about I curse the day I
was born.
831
00:59:12,240 --> 00:59:17,800
And, you know, he go, he laments
on all this, all these things
832
00:59:17,800 --> 00:59:19,840
that happened to him.
And he had determined in his
833
00:59:19,840 --> 00:59:23,560
mind that, you know, he was no
longer going to say the word of
834
00:59:23,560 --> 00:59:30,160
God to the people, but he he
makes the statement that it but
835
00:59:30,160 --> 00:59:33,680
it burned in his bones like a
fire and he could not stay.
836
00:59:34,960 --> 00:59:37,040
And so he went, went and
continued.
837
00:59:37,840 --> 00:59:41,080
And I think that it's that kind
of motivation.
838
00:59:41,760 --> 00:59:45,320
It's like the truth, you know,
burns within you and you just
839
00:59:45,320 --> 00:59:47,080
can't hold back.
You have to go.
840
00:59:47,600 --> 00:59:51,840
You want to go do it because
somebody needs to and the people
841
00:59:51,840 --> 00:59:54,360
need it, right?
That should be the the the true
842
00:59:54,360 --> 00:59:58,040
motivation because it burns
within you to do the right
843
00:59:58,040 --> 01:00:00,560
thing.
Absolutely.
844
01:00:01,000 --> 01:00:04,200
And, you know, I think it's
important to note that
845
01:00:04,880 --> 01:00:08,560
Washington tries to refuse
service many times over.
846
01:00:09,280 --> 01:00:13,040
Washington seems to be the
shining example of this, to the
847
01:00:13,040 --> 01:00:18,840
point that when he's done with
his two terms in office, the
848
01:00:18,840 --> 01:00:23,160
king over in England says if he
look, everybody loves him.
849
01:00:23,760 --> 01:00:27,320
The citizenry loves him, the
military loves him.
850
01:00:28,400 --> 01:00:31,440
And if he lead and, and this is
the part where I'll directly
851
01:00:31,440 --> 01:00:36,520
quote, if he leaves office, he
will be one of the greatest
852
01:00:36,520 --> 01:00:40,760
mortals that ever lived because
he really is turning down all
853
01:00:40,760 --> 01:00:42,680
the power.
And he did it.
854
01:00:43,840 --> 01:00:48,840
And it was so ingrained in
American Society that we didn't
855
01:00:48,840 --> 01:00:54,960
have a rule or a law about a
president can only serve 2 terms
856
01:00:56,000 --> 01:01:02,320
clear up until FDR dies.
And that's because FDRI think he
857
01:01:02,320 --> 01:01:04,560
ends up serving 4 terms as
president.
858
01:01:05,320 --> 01:01:10,040
And it scares Congress because
the body is barely cold and
859
01:01:10,040 --> 01:01:14,160
they're already in, off in, in,
in Congress getting the law
860
01:01:14,160 --> 01:01:17,320
ready to be pushed forward
because they never want to
861
01:01:17,320 --> 01:01:21,880
happen, have it happen again.
Up until that point, if you even
862
01:01:21,880 --> 01:01:24,360
mentioned that you were going to
run for a third term as
863
01:01:24,360 --> 01:01:28,040
president, people would look at
you and say, do you really think
864
01:01:28,040 --> 01:01:29,680
you're better than George
Washington?
865
01:01:30,240 --> 01:01:35,000
His example was so crystal clear
in this matter that that no one
866
01:01:35,000 --> 01:01:41,120
dared to to encroach upon that
until about the time of FDR when
867
01:01:41,120 --> 01:01:44,720
we start seeing the rise in, in
technocrats and those sorts of
868
01:01:44,720 --> 01:01:48,720
things in government.
Does anyone else have anything
869
01:01:48,720 --> 01:01:50,720
else they'd like to add here
before we move on?
870
01:01:54,960 --> 01:02:01,200
All right, good deal.
It's not working.
871
01:02:02,560 --> 01:02:06,760
There we go.
So what kind of quality should
872
01:02:06,760 --> 01:02:08,640
we look for in our elected
officials?
873
01:02:08,640 --> 01:02:11,160
It does talk about this in the
book at the beginning of this
874
01:02:11,160 --> 01:02:15,360
chapter.
One of them is experienced, and
875
01:02:15,360 --> 01:02:17,320
I want to talk about this for
just a minute.
876
01:02:19,600 --> 01:02:24,040
What kind of experience would
you want to see in an elect, in
877
01:02:24,040 --> 01:02:27,320
an, excuse me, in an elected
leader?
878
01:02:31,640 --> 01:02:34,520
What kind of experience do you
want to see on his resume, so to
879
01:02:34,520 --> 01:02:46,040
speak?
I'll comment on that one.
880
01:02:46,480 --> 01:02:48,600
Oh, we'll go to Corey, then
we'll go to Tim.
881
01:02:50,720 --> 01:02:56,200
I would say, you know, you look
at the Book of Mormon for, you
882
01:02:56,200 --> 01:03:00,280
know, kind of a principle, a
list of principles on those kind
883
01:03:00,280 --> 01:03:02,080
of things.
It's always been someone who has
884
01:03:02,080 --> 01:03:05,160
revelation, someone who has
character.
885
01:03:05,600 --> 01:03:08,800
And I would say in our culture,
someone who studies the and
886
01:03:08,800 --> 01:03:13,080
understands the principles of
the Constitution and holds them
887
01:03:13,080 --> 01:03:16,480
dearly to their heart, if they
don't really have a deep
888
01:03:16,480 --> 01:03:20,720
understanding of the principles
of the Constitution, I like kind
889
01:03:20,720 --> 01:03:25,440
of how Ron Paul is in our day.
I, I wouldn't have faith, faith
890
01:03:25,440 --> 01:03:30,720
in them in choosing rightly
because there are so many topics
891
01:03:30,720 --> 01:03:36,600
and politics that are going to
sound like, oh, that's a great
892
01:03:36,600 --> 01:03:38,600
idea.
Your advisors are going to tell
893
01:03:38,600 --> 01:03:40,440
you this and they're going to
tell you that.
894
01:03:40,440 --> 01:03:43,720
And next thing you know, you're
going to raise taxes and get in
895
01:03:43,720 --> 01:03:44,640
another.
War.
896
01:03:45,440 --> 01:03:49,520
That's and all these things
online, all these conversations,
897
01:03:49,520 --> 01:03:52,360
boy, some of them sound great
that these people come up with
898
01:03:52,680 --> 01:03:56,640
and even I'm like, wow, that
sounds great, except for it's
899
01:03:56,640 --> 01:04:01,680
absolutely not constitutional
and except for people have tried
900
01:04:01,680 --> 01:04:03,280
that before and it hasn't
worked.
901
01:04:03,280 --> 01:04:06,640
That kind of a thing that you
know, so, so experience
902
01:04:06,640 --> 01:04:09,280
understanding of the
constitution and someone who
903
01:04:09,280 --> 01:04:17,160
has, you know, a belief in God
and Jesus enough to be familiar
904
01:04:17,160 --> 01:04:19,800
and and have kind of proven
their themselves.
905
01:04:19,800 --> 01:04:22,640
And hey, they get revelation.
Hey, they turn to God, Hey, they
906
01:04:22,640 --> 01:04:26,560
love our heavenly Father and
they want to serve kind of like
907
01:04:26,560 --> 01:04:30,360
the King Benjamin type person,
that kind of a character,
908
01:04:30,520 --> 01:04:35,640
someone who's not trying to
raise taxes so that the people
909
01:04:35,640 --> 01:04:38,440
have any burden on them.
Someone who would want to even
910
01:04:38,440 --> 01:04:42,760
do it for free.
I would understand that some
911
01:04:43,280 --> 01:04:46,440
politicians ought to get paid if
they don't have any funds and
912
01:04:46,440 --> 01:04:49,760
other resources that they could
even, you know, pay themselves
913
01:04:49,760 --> 01:04:51,800
or or continue working in that
office.
914
01:04:51,800 --> 01:04:55,600
But some of these folks are
already are millionaires and
915
01:04:55,600 --> 01:04:57,560
they need to have extra pay for
it.
916
01:04:57,680 --> 01:05:01,720
You know, some of those ideas,
it's, it's crazy to me like
917
01:05:01,720 --> 01:05:05,960
$400,000 a year to be president.
It used to be 200 when I was a
918
01:05:05,960 --> 01:05:09,000
kid.
So anyway, those are my
919
01:05:09,000 --> 01:05:11,440
thoughts.
Sure, Tim, what do you got?
920
01:05:13,520 --> 01:05:16,680
Yeah, I think Corey listed some
good qualities of good character
921
01:05:16,680 --> 01:05:19,120
and of a virtuous person.
I was going to take a much more
922
01:05:19,120 --> 01:05:21,680
pragmatic approach and say that
on a resume.
923
01:05:21,720 --> 01:05:24,360
You would typically see people
taking stepping stones up to
924
01:05:24,360 --> 01:05:26,360
that office.
And so you would see somebody
925
01:05:26,360 --> 01:05:28,920
involved in local or municipal
politics, or maybe they're a
926
01:05:28,920 --> 01:05:31,600
sheriff and then a mayor, and
then they get involved in state
927
01:05:31,600 --> 01:05:34,440
politics, so they become a
governor and then they move from
928
01:05:34,440 --> 01:05:36,760
there to federal politics and up
to president from that.
929
01:05:38,080 --> 01:05:41,600
As opposed to some of the other
things that we've discussed
930
01:05:41,600 --> 01:05:45,800
tonight, such as your
monarchical type situations or
931
01:05:45,960 --> 01:05:47,920
aristocracle where they're born
into it.
932
01:05:49,920 --> 01:05:51,960
You bet.
Absolutely good stuff.
933
01:05:53,720 --> 01:05:57,960
All right, the next one is
training.
934
01:05:58,920 --> 01:06:03,960
And I think we can see this not
just from a technical
935
01:06:03,960 --> 01:06:07,440
standpoint, right?
I do think that the kind of
936
01:06:07,440 --> 01:06:11,440
training they're talking about
here probably has way more to do
937
01:06:13,040 --> 01:06:16,880
with with maybe their moral
training, right?
938
01:06:16,880 --> 01:06:20,880
Are they a virtuous person?
Which does time tie into the
939
01:06:20,880 --> 01:06:28,640
third one, which is kind of
proven virtue, right, Boy, OK,
940
01:06:28,640 --> 01:06:29,880
I'm going to make an admission
now.
941
01:06:29,880 --> 01:06:32,600
And none of you can ever say
this to the Department of Labor.
942
01:06:32,600 --> 01:06:36,920
I'm in trouble.
I tend if if I have a guy that
943
01:06:36,920 --> 01:06:42,600
comes and applies for a job with
me and he's about the age of 35
944
01:06:43,240 --> 01:06:47,440
and he's never been married, I
kind of raise an eyebrow a
945
01:06:47,440 --> 01:06:51,840
little bit and I start to wonder
like, OK, is it just bad luck?
946
01:06:51,840 --> 01:06:54,920
And, and usually through the
conversation that I have with
947
01:06:54,920 --> 01:06:58,520
him during an interview, I can
usually get down to the bottom
948
01:06:58,520 --> 01:07:00,880
of why it is.
And sometimes it's legit just
949
01:07:00,880 --> 01:07:03,120
hasn't found the right person,
something like that.
950
01:07:03,920 --> 01:07:10,000
But I do wonder from time to
time, like if you have bad
951
01:07:10,040 --> 01:07:13,760
relationships at home, you can
bet more times than not that's
952
01:07:13,760 --> 01:07:16,720
going to seep through at work.
And, and those kind of character
953
01:07:16,720 --> 01:07:22,360
flaws are going to be available
to, to, to be on display and to
954
01:07:22,360 --> 01:07:25,120
make your life more difficult in
a, in a work setting.
955
01:07:26,080 --> 01:07:30,600
And I, I do think that we can
look at a, a man's personal
956
01:07:30,600 --> 01:07:32,840
life.
Obviously Paul makes that right
957
01:07:33,440 --> 01:07:37,440
in that you, you need to be the
the husband of at least one wife
958
01:07:37,880 --> 01:07:42,520
and to have your household in
order in order for you to be a
959
01:07:42,520 --> 01:07:45,320
Bishop.
And that's just because you've
960
01:07:45,320 --> 01:07:47,480
proven that you can manage a
household.
961
01:07:47,720 --> 01:07:51,960
So you can probably take the
next step up for this, this
962
01:07:51,960 --> 01:07:55,520
other position.
Does somebody else have anything
963
01:07:55,520 --> 01:07:57,160
they want to add before we move
on there?
964
01:08:01,400 --> 01:08:10,400
OK, demonstrated wisdom.
This one is interesting.
965
01:08:10,400 --> 01:08:11,960
Lee, I saw your hand go up
again.
966
01:08:14,120 --> 01:08:16,880
Hey, yeah, I was just going to
say one other thing I would like
967
01:08:16,880 --> 01:08:21,840
to see in a in a leader is
someone that has overcome a
968
01:08:21,840 --> 01:08:27,120
bunch of adversity or that's a
good one, or, or dug themselves
969
01:08:27,120 --> 01:08:30,160
out of a, you know, like
somebody out of it.
970
01:08:30,160 --> 01:08:33,120
Like Ben Carson, you know, that
just didn't have a lot of
971
01:08:33,160 --> 01:08:36,040
opportunity, but he just clawed
his way up to where he was, you
972
01:08:36,040 --> 01:08:46,520
know, a lot of fortitude. 100%
no 100% And I think Lee in in
973
01:08:46,520 --> 01:08:50,319
some ways that ties into this
demonstrated wisdom, right.
974
01:08:51,120 --> 01:08:56,160
We live in what's been termed
the information age, and for the
975
01:08:56,160 --> 01:08:58,920
most part I agree with that.
I think any amount of
976
01:08:58,920 --> 01:09:02,720
information you want to get is
pretty much available at your
977
01:09:02,720 --> 01:09:07,160
your fingertips.
But information and wisdom are
978
01:09:07,160 --> 01:09:13,880
two completely different things.
And so this demonstrated wisdom
979
01:09:13,880 --> 01:09:20,000
I would hope would go into even
even if he's not in government,
980
01:09:20,040 --> 01:09:23,000
right?
But he's been successful as a
981
01:09:23,000 --> 01:09:27,000
military man or he's been
successful in business even.
982
01:09:27,479 --> 01:09:31,359
I don't think that's out of the
realm of possibility that, you
983
01:09:31,359 --> 01:09:35,520
know, there's a demonstration
here of his wisdom, both from a
984
01:09:35,520 --> 01:09:39,800
technical standpoint as well as
how he relates to other people
985
01:09:39,800 --> 01:09:41,439
and how he's treated other
people.
986
01:09:42,200 --> 01:09:46,520
I think all these things can be
great indicators of somebody
987
01:09:46,520 --> 01:09:51,680
who's ready to, to lead and and
to to try to do a good job in
988
01:09:51,680 --> 01:09:55,680
that if his experience is there,
if his training is there, if
989
01:09:55,680 --> 01:09:59,960
he's proven virtuous and he's
demonstrated wisdom right now, I
990
01:09:59,960 --> 01:10:02,360
take him.
I haven't seen that guy in a
991
01:10:02,360 --> 01:10:05,440
while, but hopefully that comes
back around again.
992
01:10:09,240 --> 01:10:15,960
So this part here I I really
wanted talk about this there.
993
01:10:16,080 --> 01:10:18,440
It doesn't really bring this up
in the book a whole lot.
994
01:10:18,440 --> 01:10:23,880
But I do feel it's important and
that is we have to be careful
995
01:10:24,360 --> 01:10:28,880
when politicians start to take
on kind of a rock star kind of
996
01:10:28,880 --> 01:10:35,000
following right with with the
kind of the the the over.
997
01:10:36,480 --> 01:10:40,720
Oh, I don't know, adoration of a
political leader.
998
01:10:42,360 --> 01:10:48,960
Tim, go ahead.
I didn't mean to interrupt you,
999
01:10:48,960 --> 01:10:50,480
Dave.
I was just going to raise my
1000
01:10:50,480 --> 01:10:52,800
hand so I could add on to the
fact that I love that you have
1001
01:10:52,800 --> 01:10:55,720
this slide in here.
Because one problem that our
1002
01:10:55,720 --> 01:10:59,280
entire country has is the
celebration of, of rock stars,
1003
01:10:59,280 --> 01:11:01,560
the celebration of fame.
I think it's just one of the
1004
01:11:01,560 --> 01:11:03,480
most poisonous things that we
do.
1005
01:11:04,960 --> 01:11:06,960
Absolutely no, you're you're
good, Tim.
1006
01:11:08,240 --> 01:11:11,160
And you're 100% correct, it is a
problem.
1007
01:11:11,800 --> 01:11:16,400
And often what we see come along
with this is propaganda and
1008
01:11:16,400 --> 01:11:20,160
propaganda is meant to make you
feel a certain way.
1009
01:11:20,840 --> 01:11:27,760
And so I just dug up some some
examples of propaganda that we
1010
01:11:27,760 --> 01:11:32,120
see.
And sorry if I'm about to
1011
01:11:32,120 --> 01:11:34,720
slaughter a sacred cow here to
anybody.
1012
01:11:34,880 --> 01:11:38,720
The first one I hope I don't.
The first one I hope we can all
1013
01:11:38,720 --> 01:11:42,000
agree is pretty bad.
But let's just take a look.
1014
01:11:44,400 --> 01:11:46,840
So this is 1 from World War 2
for Hitler.
1015
01:11:47,680 --> 01:11:51,560
And you notice here that he's
he's kind of set up in this
1016
01:11:51,560 --> 01:11:55,120
position of leading the charge,
right?
1017
01:11:55,120 --> 01:11:58,720
And the clouds are parting and
and the Valkyrie, you're flying
1018
01:11:58,720 --> 01:12:04,080
in and he's looking like he's
ready to save the save the
1019
01:12:04,080 --> 01:12:08,760
German people.
Now, fortunately, we've never
1020
01:12:08,760 --> 01:12:10,560
seen anything like that in
America.
1021
01:12:12,560 --> 01:12:14,840
Oops.
I guess we kind of did.
1022
01:12:16,800 --> 01:12:20,480
You know, if we look at this
picture and we really analyze
1023
01:12:20,480 --> 01:12:23,640
this picture, it's a little
spooky, right?
1024
01:12:23,960 --> 01:12:29,520
Here you have a political leader
who's looking from on high down
1025
01:12:29,520 --> 01:12:33,000
upon a city.
And the birds that are flying
1026
01:12:33,000 --> 01:12:38,360
there are doves, right?
Which is typically a symbol for
1027
01:12:38,520 --> 01:12:42,880
divinity, especially within the
Hebrew tradition, right?
1028
01:12:43,200 --> 01:12:47,440
We're told in the New Testament
that when Jesus is baptized,
1029
01:12:47,760 --> 01:12:51,440
there's a voice from heaven, and
then the Holy Spirit descends in
1030
01:12:51,440 --> 01:12:55,680
the form of a dove.
And this one was spooky.
1031
01:12:55,680 --> 01:12:59,440
Now, fortunately, we don't have
to worry about any of that from
1032
01:12:59,440 --> 01:13:02,360
the right side of the spit.
My bad.
1033
01:13:02,640 --> 01:13:07,280
I did it again.
Again, there's this mingling of
1034
01:13:07,280 --> 01:13:09,320
the divine with a political
leader.
1035
01:13:10,800 --> 01:13:13,200
And so I'm just going to ask
this question.
1036
01:13:14,240 --> 01:13:19,200
What is wrong with this?
I want to hear from from someone
1037
01:13:19,200 --> 01:13:23,320
else here what they find wrong
with this, ranging from Hitler
1038
01:13:23,320 --> 01:13:27,760
to Obama to Trump.
What are the problems here with
1039
01:13:27,760 --> 01:13:46,350
these depictions?
I saw you come off mute a big A.
1040
01:13:46,350 --> 01:13:51,390
Big one is it's idolatry,
literally cosmic humanist type
1041
01:13:51,670 --> 01:13:56,710
make thinking.
You know, believing that humans
1042
01:13:56,710 --> 01:13:59,230
have transcended and become God
gods.
1043
01:14:00,390 --> 01:14:04,470
That's a big one.
Anybody else?
1044
01:14:05,160 --> 01:14:06,840
Yeah, you look at the whole
Hitler thing.
1045
01:14:06,840 --> 01:14:10,360
It's like, you know, I love, I
love Germany is more what he's
1046
01:14:10,360 --> 01:14:12,560
saying.
He loves Deutschland.
1047
01:14:14,760 --> 01:14:19,120
And one of the big sayings that
they had in their their slogans
1048
01:14:19,120 --> 01:14:25,000
was, you know, God got mittens,
which is God's with us.
1049
01:14:25,480 --> 01:14:29,360
And, you know, here we see
Trump, you know, he is being,
1050
01:14:29,840 --> 01:14:33,360
you know, supported by, I guess
God or Jesus.
1051
01:14:33,360 --> 01:14:35,200
I can't see it but close enough
here.
1052
01:14:36,240 --> 01:14:39,440
But I've seen that, you know,
the Halos on him and some other
1053
01:14:39,440 --> 01:14:43,320
depictions online as well, that
he is, you know, being led.
1054
01:14:43,680 --> 01:14:48,240
And yeah, I think there's times
when our prayers absolutely have
1055
01:14:48,240 --> 01:14:53,880
an impact on our our leaders.
And yet I think there's a a big
1056
01:14:53,880 --> 01:15:01,040
danger in that of looking to
them as because, you know, like
1057
01:15:01,040 --> 01:15:04,920
Taylor saying, you know, we're
giving them kind of idolatry
1058
01:15:05,200 --> 01:15:07,520
that they are going to fix
everything and then giving them
1059
01:15:07,520 --> 01:15:11,040
a pass because we voted for
their part of our party.
1060
01:15:11,200 --> 01:15:13,440
If they're part of our party,
then we give them a pass for
1061
01:15:13,440 --> 01:15:15,400
almost anything they do in the
other guys party.
1062
01:15:15,680 --> 01:15:18,440
They're all bad, even if they're
doing the very same things.
1063
01:15:18,680 --> 01:15:21,720
That's what I keep seeing over
and over online.
1064
01:15:21,720 --> 01:15:28,360
It's like that to me is insane.
It's like if these guys are
1065
01:15:28,520 --> 01:15:31,960
doing the very same things that
the other party that your party
1066
01:15:31,960 --> 01:15:37,240
has done, and then you're mad
that the other party's person
1067
01:15:37,240 --> 01:15:40,520
that is in office now is doing
the very same thing.
1068
01:15:40,800 --> 01:15:42,960
That's crazy.
That's so hypocritical.
1069
01:15:42,960 --> 01:15:46,880
It's so double standard.
And, and unfortunately, we
1070
01:15:46,880 --> 01:15:54,320
humans often cannot look in the
mirror and see this double
1071
01:15:54,320 --> 01:15:56,880
standard that we have,
especially politically with
1072
01:15:56,880 --> 01:15:59,760
these guys.
And you know, I, I like a lot of
1073
01:15:59,760 --> 01:16:02,840
things that each of these
individuals have done.
1074
01:16:02,840 --> 01:16:05,160
They have done some good for the
German people.
1075
01:16:05,400 --> 01:16:08,320
Everybody was put to work in
Germany for the first time.
1076
01:16:08,560 --> 01:16:11,600
They were all struggling during
the Treaty of Versailles.
1077
01:16:11,960 --> 01:16:14,920
The, the communities were very
depressed and struggling.
1078
01:16:14,920 --> 01:16:18,960
And here you go, you know this,
you know, Hitler goes in and
1079
01:16:18,960 --> 01:16:21,800
gives them all work and now that
they're all starting to do well,
1080
01:16:21,800 --> 01:16:24,560
and if you have children, you
know, you can pay off your
1081
01:16:24,560 --> 01:16:26,920
house.
You have 4 kids, your house is
1082
01:16:26,920 --> 01:16:28,840
paid for.
The German government will pay
1083
01:16:28,840 --> 01:16:30,920
for your house.
I mean, those are things that
1084
01:16:30,920 --> 01:16:35,680
everyone who is a struggling
poor person would feel like now
1085
01:16:35,680 --> 01:16:38,320
they're making a contribution.
And, you know, so that of
1086
01:16:38,320 --> 01:16:41,960
course, on some of his powerful
messages, just like Obama.
1087
01:16:42,160 --> 01:16:46,560
Obama, great speaker, really
kind of connected with his
1088
01:16:46,560 --> 01:16:48,320
audience.
One of my roommates was a
1089
01:16:48,320 --> 01:16:51,960
teacher.
He went out to DC and he was so
1090
01:16:51,960 --> 01:16:56,400
welcoming and warm to him.
And you know, and Trump, not
1091
01:16:56,400 --> 01:16:58,880
that I have too many connections
with him, but I've read articles
1092
01:16:58,880 --> 01:17:02,320
about his children and his
children inspire me and some of
1093
01:17:02,320 --> 01:17:05,760
the things that he says.
And yet each of these guys has
1094
01:17:05,760 --> 01:17:10,840
done so many naughty things when
it comes to politics as well in
1095
01:17:10,880 --> 01:17:13,400
in some way that doesn't follow
the constitution or the
1096
01:17:13,400 --> 01:17:15,880
principles of creating
prosperity for everyone.
1097
01:17:15,880 --> 01:17:17,600
And you know, those kind of
things.
1098
01:17:18,000 --> 01:17:22,840
Yet it does take away from our
relationship with our Father in
1099
01:17:22,840 --> 01:17:25,520
heaven if if these are the guys
that we look to to fix
1100
01:17:25,520 --> 01:17:30,400
everything. 100% Justin, I see
your hand up.
1101
01:17:31,760 --> 01:17:34,160
Yeah, I really like what Corey
was saying there.
1102
01:17:34,240 --> 01:17:37,240
And it kind of Harkins back to
that first thing we you shared
1103
01:17:37,240 --> 01:17:41,240
about Winston Churchill, right?
There is good and bad in all of
1104
01:17:41,240 --> 01:17:43,320
these.
None of these people are Jesus.
1105
01:17:44,880 --> 01:17:48,280
None of these people are Jesus.
And they they can all do good
1106
01:17:48,280 --> 01:17:50,800
things, but they're all
inevitably going to do bad
1107
01:17:50,800 --> 01:17:54,000
things as well.
And what the problem here is
1108
01:17:54,000 --> 01:17:58,200
what I see happening is all of
these are depiction of what in
1109
01:17:58,200 --> 01:18:01,840
Asia we call the mandate of
heaven, but in Europe was the
1110
01:18:01,840 --> 01:18:10,960
divine right of kings.
And this idea is that monarchy
1111
01:18:11,280 --> 01:18:16,280
or basically authoritarian
government being justified on
1112
01:18:16,280 --> 01:18:22,400
religious grounds.
And now there is a true
1113
01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:25,600
principle that we should pray
for our leaders.
1114
01:18:25,600 --> 01:18:29,600
We should hope that Jesus has
his arms on Trump's shoulders.
1115
01:18:29,600 --> 01:18:33,120
We should hope that Obama's
being guided by the Holy Spirit,
1116
01:18:36,280 --> 01:18:41,000
but to promote it like this.
This is propaganda and that and
1117
01:18:41,000 --> 01:18:47,680
that and that's it suggests this
idea of these are God's chosen
1118
01:18:47,920 --> 01:18:52,800
rulers over us and and it leads
to monarchy.
1119
01:18:53,160 --> 01:18:57,000
Exactly what in the in this
chapter that that Benjamin
1120
01:18:57,000 --> 01:19:01,760
Franklin is, is railing so hard
against having America become
1121
01:19:01,760 --> 01:19:07,040
and we we do it to ourselves.
Franklin was absolutely right.
1122
01:19:07,040 --> 01:19:10,840
There's a natural inclination.
We'd rather have one guy in
1123
01:19:10,840 --> 01:19:15,240
charge who has this mandate of
heaven or has this divine right
1124
01:19:15,240 --> 01:19:18,160
of king so we don't have to take
that responsibility.
1125
01:19:19,360 --> 01:19:22,120
It's a natural human
inclination, but it's something
1126
01:19:22,120 --> 01:19:28,400
that has to be resisted.
Absolutely good stuff.
1127
01:19:28,400 --> 01:19:31,840
The other thing I'm going to say
Corey brought this up that that
1128
01:19:31,840 --> 01:19:37,160
that one of the slogans for for,
you know, the Third Reich and,
1129
01:19:37,160 --> 01:19:41,840
and, and the Nazis was that God
was with them.
1130
01:19:44,040 --> 01:19:48,360
And I want to point out a few
two different times in American
1131
01:19:48,360 --> 01:19:53,440
history and just compare and
contrast.
1132
01:19:55,000 --> 01:20:00,280
So if we look at the founders
right when when they start
1133
01:20:00,280 --> 01:20:07,000
talking about God and they start
invoking God into what it is
1134
01:20:07,000 --> 01:20:12,840
they're doing against England,
they say let us have reliance on
1135
01:20:12,840 --> 01:20:15,000
the protection of divine
Providence.
1136
01:20:16,240 --> 01:20:20,840
Now, if you start doing a dive
on that phrase and you start
1137
01:20:20,840 --> 01:20:23,480
looking for context around that
phrase.
1138
01:20:25,040 --> 01:20:30,120
It's very much about this idea
that, OK, if we're going to do
1139
01:20:30,120 --> 01:20:33,200
this, if we're going to go to
war with the biggest, baddest
1140
01:20:33,200 --> 01:20:39,600
guy on the block, we better make
sure that, a, this is a just
1141
01:20:39,600 --> 01:20:43,720
cause.
And then two, we need to do
1142
01:20:43,800 --> 01:20:49,920
everything we can to be on God's
side, that we do everything we
1143
01:20:49,920 --> 01:20:57,120
can to align with him.
So divine the, the reliance on
1144
01:20:57,120 --> 01:21:00,440
the protection of divine
Providence is, is kind of equal
1145
01:21:00,440 --> 01:21:03,680
to trying to be on God's side of
things.
1146
01:21:04,760 --> 01:21:11,360
Now when we get to Andrew
Jackson, it's no longer about
1147
01:21:11,720 --> 01:21:14,520
reliance on the protection of
divine Providence.
1148
01:21:14,600 --> 01:21:19,160
It's manifest destiny.
And if we start looking at what
1149
01:21:19,160 --> 01:21:24,280
Manifest Destiny is, it takes
what the founders were doing and
1150
01:21:24,280 --> 01:21:26,560
it inverts it, it flips it
upside down.
1151
01:21:26,920 --> 01:21:31,560
So no longer is it about we're
on God's side now.
1152
01:21:31,560 --> 01:21:35,640
It's about God is on our side.
God is with us.
1153
01:21:36,320 --> 01:21:38,880
Now.
When you start out a campaign, a
1154
01:21:38,880 --> 01:21:42,360
military campaign, westward
expansion, whatever.
1155
01:21:42,360 --> 01:21:46,840
And look, I want to say this,
I'm not dissing westward
1156
01:21:46,840 --> 01:21:48,600
expansion.
That had to happen.
1157
01:21:48,600 --> 01:21:52,400
That was a good thing.
But I think we'd be remiss to
1158
01:21:52,400 --> 01:21:57,040
say that there wasn't abuses
under Jacksonian America during
1159
01:21:57,040 --> 01:22:01,880
that westward expansion.
And when you say God is on my
1160
01:22:01,880 --> 01:22:06,960
side, well, now you have a blank
check to commit all sorts of
1161
01:22:06,960 --> 01:22:12,440
atrocities on different people
because you can do no wrong
1162
01:22:13,200 --> 01:22:17,160
because God is on your side.
And to Justin's point, that is a
1163
01:22:17,160 --> 01:22:21,080
direct correlation.
Correlation back to the divine
1164
01:22:21,080 --> 01:22:25,480
right of kings.
And we should all be a little
1165
01:22:25,880 --> 01:22:30,840
cognizant and careful as we
brush up against propaganda
1166
01:22:31,200 --> 01:22:33,720
because it's not going anywhere.
It's here.
1167
01:22:34,640 --> 01:22:36,560
But we just need to be cognizant
of it.
1168
01:22:36,560 --> 01:22:40,000
And we need to be cognizant of
how it makes us feel more than
1169
01:22:40,000 --> 01:22:43,960
what it makes us think even,
because that feeling will carry
1170
01:22:43,960 --> 01:22:48,800
forward into how we tend to view
that candidate.
1171
01:22:50,040 --> 01:22:53,240
Does anyone else have anything
they want to add to this part
1172
01:22:53,240 --> 01:23:06,260
here?
OK, so I would sum this all up
1173
01:23:06,260 --> 01:23:08,940
by stop looking for a political
savior.
1174
01:23:10,020 --> 01:23:14,540
Stop looking for to to to
worship a leader.
1175
01:23:14,540 --> 01:23:18,780
It is idolatry modern day.
And just because it's not a
1176
01:23:18,780 --> 01:23:22,520
carved statue sitting on your
shelf somewhere, it's still
1177
01:23:22,520 --> 01:23:24,520
absolutely is a form of
idolatry.
1178
01:23:25,400 --> 01:23:32,560
Ultimately, in America, it's our
responsibility to make sure that
1179
01:23:32,560 --> 01:23:37,040
we are doing everything within
our power to 1st elect good
1180
01:23:37,160 --> 01:23:41,320
moral leaders and then two, hold
them accountable.
1181
01:23:41,320 --> 01:23:45,440
Taylor mentioned that kind of
earlier on in in this section
1182
01:23:45,440 --> 01:23:49,800
here, that we need to hold their
feet to the fire when they screw
1183
01:23:49,800 --> 01:23:54,080
up.
You can still rally behind a guy
1184
01:23:54,880 --> 01:23:58,080
if he's made an honest mistake,
if he's willing to correct that
1185
01:23:58,080 --> 01:24:00,440
mistake.
But if he's not willing to
1186
01:24:00,440 --> 01:24:05,920
listen, It's incumbent upon us
to exercise the rights that we
1187
01:24:05,920 --> 01:24:10,400
have been granted to have a
bloodless coup every two to four
1188
01:24:10,400 --> 01:24:13,480
years and get rid of bad
leadership and bring in new
1189
01:24:13,480 --> 01:24:17,720
leadership.
And if we can do that, we can
1190
01:24:17,720 --> 01:24:20,920
still stem the tide.
But we have to be extremely
1191
01:24:20,920 --> 01:24:23,680
active in in those sorts of
things.
1192
01:24:25,920 --> 01:24:29,240
All right, well, we're already
at 8:30 and we didn't go nearly
1193
01:24:29,240 --> 01:24:35,880
as far as I was hoping.
And so next week we're going to
1194
01:24:35,880 --> 01:24:40,520
pick up on the role of religion,
and we'll go through that.
1195
01:24:40,520 --> 01:24:42,200
And that's going to be another
meaty 1.
1196
01:24:42,200 --> 01:24:45,720
So this is going to put us a bit
behind, but I know we'll make it
1197
01:24:45,720 --> 01:24:49,880
up in some other spots and we'll
get back on track because not
1198
01:24:49,880 --> 01:24:52,200
all of these sections were as
media as this one.
1199
01:24:52,680 --> 01:24:56,000
So I think we'll end it right
there for tonight.
1200
01:24:56,480 --> 01:24:59,240
Does anybody have anything else
they want to bring up here
1201
01:24:59,240 --> 01:25:01,160
before we wrap this up for the
evening?
1202
01:25:08,350 --> 01:25:14,350
All right, good enough.
Tim, could you give us a closing
1203
01:25:15,150 --> 01:25:17,430
prayer real quick?
Yeah, you bet.
1204
01:25:21,080 --> 01:25:23,200
Father in Heaven, we bow our
heads before you at this time
1205
01:25:23,200 --> 01:25:26,240
and humble gratitude at the
opportunity at having met here
1206
01:25:26,240 --> 01:25:29,760
this evening and discussed the
foundation of this government.
1207
01:25:30,640 --> 01:25:33,360
And we thank you for your spirit
having been here with us.
1208
01:25:33,360 --> 01:25:36,200
And we ask that we may absorb
and incorporate some of the
1209
01:25:36,200 --> 01:25:38,480
things that we've learned into
our lives and into our families
1210
01:25:38,480 --> 01:25:41,400
and communities.
We ask that you'll continue to
1211
01:25:41,400 --> 01:25:44,680
guide us and steer us in the
direction that you would have us
1212
01:25:44,680 --> 01:25:49,560
go.
Father, we thank you for all of
1213
01:25:49,560 --> 01:25:51,680
our many blessings and for all
of the opportunities that you
1214
01:25:51,680 --> 01:25:53,800
give us.
And we say, and we ask these
1215
01:25:53,800 --> 01:25:55,680
things humbly, in the name of
Jesus Christ, Amen.
1216
01:25:56,960 --> 01:26:00,360
Amen.
Thanks, Tim for for the prayer
1217
01:26:00,360 --> 01:26:02,200
and thanks everybody for
participating.
1218
01:26:02,200 --> 01:26:05,400
You, you, you make this thing go
and I really do appreciate you
1219
01:26:05,400 --> 01:26:06,880
and I'm looking forward to next
week.
1220
01:26:08,200 --> 01:26:09,560
Thank you, Dave.
Have a good night everybody.
1221
01:26:10,520 --> 01:26:10,840
See ya.
00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,080
OK, I think we might as well get
started here.
2
00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:08,080
Let's see.
Corey, could you give us an
3
00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:21,070
opening prayer, please?
One second there, OK, our dear
4
00:00:21,070 --> 00:00:23,710
Father in heaven, we're grateful
unto thee today just to come
5
00:00:23,710 --> 00:00:25,790
together and have a fun
conversation about the
6
00:00:25,790 --> 00:00:30,630
Constitution, the wonderful
principles that that really
7
00:00:30,630 --> 00:00:34,600
matter to us, that bring kind of
some understanding of what's
8
00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,040
going on in our world and what
our founders really wanted for
9
00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,760
us.
To bring freedom and prosperous
10
00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,400
environment for all of us so
that we could have all the
11
00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:51,080
things that we need and want and
see everyone in our communities
12
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,680
thrive and do well.
And also religious freedom and
13
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:56,840
just a better understanding of
right and wrong.
14
00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,840
Anyway, ask that blessing on the
conversation and everyone here
15
00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:02,880
tonight.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,040
Amen.
Amen.
17
00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:12,280
Thanks, Corey.
So let me share my screen here
18
00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:34,720
real quick.
So we're, we're on the, this is
19
00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:38,520
week 5, I believe, of what we're
doing and we're going to try to
20
00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,080
cover two things, two kind of
principles this week.
21
00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:48,240
One of them is on getting good
leaders, collecting good leaders
22
00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,440
and, and what that takes.
And the other is on religion.
23
00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,560
Now, both of these are pretty
meaty subjects and I'm going to
24
00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,120
do my best, but I'm imagining
there'll be a little bit we'll
25
00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:05,640
have to clean up next week on
one of these topics here.
26
00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,199
I imagine we won't make it all
the way through the religion
27
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:09,960
one.
Maybe we will, but if not, we'll
28
00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:18,000
just cover it next week.
So it starts out and there's an
29
00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,000
interesting scripture that goes
along with this and it's
30
00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,560
Proverbs 29 two.
And it says when the righteous
31
00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,920
are an authority, the people
rejoice.
32
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,680
But when the wicked beareth
rule, the people mourn.
33
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:38,080
And I don't think there's a more
apt description than people that
34
00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:43,680
then then the mourning of the
people when we have bad leaders.
35
00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,040
And we're going to talk a little
bit tonight through this one
36
00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:53,240
particular principle about what
it means to to elect a good
37
00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,120
leader, how you can tell a good
leader.
38
00:02:55,600 --> 00:03:00,640
And then both some of the
consequences of, of having a bad
39
00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:08,080
leader and also what we can do.
And in, in kind of upholding the
40
00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,480
values that the Prince that the
founder set in, in getting that
41
00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:17,560
good leader and examining how it
was they managed to maybe get
42
00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,760
around some of these things.
Or at least looking down the
43
00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,560
road, figuring out how to avoid
certain shipwrecks.
44
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:32,040
Starting out with with something
from The Federalist Papers, and
45
00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:35,760
it's I entitled it in the
absence of angels.
46
00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,680
If men were angels, no
government would be necessary.
47
00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:45,000
If angels were to govern men,
neither external nor internal
48
00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,600
controls on government would be
necessary.
49
00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,560
Real quick, who wants to take a
stab on on what they think that
50
00:03:52,560 --> 00:04:00,120
means?
I'll add something.
51
00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,200
I, I think it's kind of a
compromise.
52
00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,840
It's kind of saying that
government's not really adding
53
00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,880
an inherent value in and of
itself, right?
54
00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:19,320
It's, it's, it's, it's not
necessary other than the flaws
55
00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,880
of human nature.
It's, it's a, it's a
56
00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:27,080
preventative and A and a, what
do you call a prophylactic
57
00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,320
effort?
Maybe a remedial effort, but
58
00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:33,040
it's not inherently valuable in
it in and of itself.
59
00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,240
Bureaucracy and all the these
forms and systems, they're, they
60
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,760
are valuable because we are
fallen, because we live in a
61
00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:43,680
fallen world, but they're not
valuable in and of themselves
62
00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,360
the way that, say, the gospel
is.
63
00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,720
Sure, 100%.
You know, and, and I also think
64
00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:57,960
here that, that the founders are
realizing that human nature, I
65
00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,920
mean it, it can change, right?
I, I do believe that there are
66
00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,560
some things we can point to in
this age and say, gosh, you
67
00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,960
know, we, we relatively are a
little bit safer than we have
68
00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:16,560
been in, in, in centuries past,
But human nature by and large
69
00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:21,400
doesn't change.
And because of that, we have two
70
00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:23,560
things that need to be
controlled, right?
71
00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:29,840
Or at least have limits put on.
One is what man does to each
72
00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:33,360
other, and then two, what
government can do for man.
73
00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,920
And I think the founders are
kind of noting this problem here
74
00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,520
a little bit.
Does anyone have anything they'd
75
00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:41,920
like to add here before we move
on?
76
00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,160
I got a thought real quick that
that a government that states
77
00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,480
that it is for the people, by
the people and of the people is
78
00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,640
a tacit admission that everybody
involved is flawed.
79
00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,480
And so a people that a flawed
people that are in need of a
80
00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,520
government and a government that
is made-up of people in need of
81
00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:05,880
checks and balances. 100% Thanks
Tim and Justin.
82
00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:07,520
Those were both excellent
comments.
83
00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,440
Just want to also comment that,
you know, there's, you know,
84
00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:18,440
some folks believe in anarchy,
that no government is, is the
85
00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:23,200
ideal because hey, we can figure
our our own, we can make choices
86
00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,840
for ourselves and our own family
and friends better than anyone
87
00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:30,160
else, you know, in in another
community or government.
88
00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:35,800
And, and while that on the
surface appears to be true and
89
00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:42,240
it also there, there's some
value in that thinking.
90
00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,280
Yet if you're going to associate
with a lot of other people in a
91
00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:50,120
in a larger group and do a lot
of trade and business with them
92
00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,400
not having clear boundaries and
rules.
93
00:06:54,720 --> 00:07:01,120
And also somebody is going to be
responsible for making sure
94
00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:05,600
those rules are are kept is it's
going to be a problem.
95
00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:10,040
And we we've seen it and there's
just no situations where we have
96
00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:16,520
societies that don't have some
leader and system put in place
97
00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:21,320
so that the trade and business
and that people play nicely
98
00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,880
together to keep the rules.
There's always been a rule
99
00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:28,720
keeper of some sort in that
society for it to actually
100
00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,680
function and people to do trade,
that kind of a thing.
101
00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,040
Sure.
No good point.
102
00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:43,640
Anybody else?
All right, so the founders
103
00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:48,480
recognize that human, that human
nature for what it was, and it's
104
00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:54,160
a mixture of good and evil.
I wanted to kind of point like
105
00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,720
point this out a little bit.
I wanted to give some examples.
106
00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:03,880
And so here here's an example of
of leaders who were who were
107
00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,760
good and then one that was was
kind of evil.
108
00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,920
And I'm just going to read a
little bit of their BIOS and I
109
00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,000
want to see if you can just take
a stab at who they were.
110
00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:21,200
All right, the first one guess
who he leadership during World
111
00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,560
War Two served in office against
the Axis powers, playing a
112
00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:30,360
crucial role in the Allied plans
won the Nobel Nobel Peace Prize
113
00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:35,840
in literature for as he kind of
showcased his skills as a writer
114
00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,200
and a historian.
And for his six volume work on
115
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the history of the of World War
Two, He turned coined the term
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the Iron Curtain.
And in 1946 he described in
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1946, he described the division
between Western democracies and
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Eastern communist countries,
highlighting his influence on
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post war geopolitics.
He was elected five times to
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public office.
Had a long career serving in
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various capacities and shaping
policy over the decades.
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Oratory skills His speeches His
speeches inspired the British
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public during the war, rallying
war, rallying them in times of
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crisis and solidifying his
legacy as a powerful orator.
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Pretty I I'm guessing everyone's
going to get it and someone want
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to take a stab on who that was?
Sounds like Churchill to me.
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That is Churchill.
You're right.
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All right.
Now let's go to the evil guy.
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A Labour Party politician
recently described him as a
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villain for having ordered
troops to fire on striking
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workers in the Welsh town.
I'm not even going to.
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Tony Pandy in 1910 diverted an
entire nation's crops to his own
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country's warehouse and caused a
forced famine, resulting in
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hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Deaths.
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Then when aid came from the USA
and other Western countries, he
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refused to accept that donation,
ensuring that hundreds of
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thousands of people died from a
forced starvation.
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Someone want to take a guess on
who this is?
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OK, that is Winston Churchill.
Yeah.
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I wanted to use this example for
one reason and one reason alone,
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because I believe in Churchill.
We see kind of the gamut of who
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mankind can be.
And if you ask people in India,
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he was absolutely a tyrant.
If you talk to people in the
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West, he is one of the saving
heroes of Western thought and
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democracy.
But nonetheless, we see two
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sides to Winston Churchill here
that absolutely illustrate the
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founders point that people are a
mixed bag.
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And certainly we all have
problems like that, right?
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There's all things that we
struggle with and whatnot, but
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it's important to try to
alleviate or or prevent some of
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the man's more brutal
characteristics coming to the
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forefront as as they govern.
Does anyone have anything they'd
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like to add on that?
And.
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Just that I think there's a lot,
I mean, that can be said for a
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lot of great people that we
consider great leaders in the
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history of the world.
You know, there's, there's
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multiple sides to the story.
You say that with Lincoln,
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there's certainly that way with
somebody like Jackson.
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Many US presidents also have
storied histories, even when the
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even ones that did heroic
things.
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Absolutely.
And look, I'm not doing this to
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throw, throw Winston Churchill
under the bus.
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I'm doing this as kind of an
exercise to show that that
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mankind really is a mixed bag.
And sometimes mankind can be a
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mixed, mixed bag individually,
right?
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Struggling against their own
natures.
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00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:50,400
And so I don't want anyone to
think here that I'm in favor of
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tearing down statues or anything
like that.
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All right?
Anybody else?
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All right, so from the reading,
does anybody care to take this
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question?
What were Thomas Jefferson's
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views on aristocracy?
OK, he said there were
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essentially 2 aristocracies.
The first one he he coined the
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term artificial aristocracies.
And this would be the kind of
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aristocracy that they saw back
in England, right?
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Typically its traits are it's
obtained by birth or obtained by
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wealth.
It's given by existing Lords or
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kings.
Often times it was given in
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exchange for favor or loyalty to
a king or a party.
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And so this would be something
where where you would be part of
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the aristocracy simply because
you happen to hit the genetic
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lottery and were born into the
right family with the right last
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name.
And there wasn't a lot of upward
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mobility in in in England or any
of those other places that had a
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monarchy or was ruled by a
tyrant of any sort, whether that
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was 1 tyrant or many.
Usually that aristocracy is sent
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set and you are not going to be
able to make headway up up the
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chain.
The next kind of aristocracy
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that Jefferson talks about is
the natural aristocracy or or
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00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:52,520
another term he used for is a
freeman freeman aristocracy.
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And this aristocracy is going to
be obtained by virtue and by
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merit.
It's not passed on by family.
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It's not passed on for political
favors.
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And in America, this, this
aristocracy was left to the
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individual to rise and fall on
themselves.
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And it was never meant to be
passed down.
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00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:21,360
And so as, as we break down what
Jefferson's talking about, about
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this natural or freeman
aristocracy, it it's, it's a
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meritocracy that is based on
your merits and your merits
200
00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:35,480
alone.
And it, it, it kind of gets away
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00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,800
from, quite frankly, some things
we've seen in the past that I
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00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:42,120
think are, are troublesome,
right?
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00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,640
We have things like Ted Kennedy
serving in the Senate for what
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00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:53,960
but the better part of 50 years.
And then we have, you know, the
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00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:57,360
the Clintons where, you know,
he's in office.
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Then she becomes a senator.
And there's even talk of, of
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their daughter running.
We even see this a little bit
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with the Bush family as well.
And so it's on both sides.
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00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:14,320
But there has been kind of a new
American aristocracy that I
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don't think resembles this
natural aristocracy of this
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freeman aristocracy that
Jefferson was talked about.
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00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,960
Now, I do want to say that just
because you do have the same
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last name doesn't mean that you
can't stay within this natural
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00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:37,400
or freeman aristocracy, right?
I do think obviously as we have
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children and we impart our
morals and values to our
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children, it's very likely that
many of them will follow in our
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00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,880
footsteps.
So it just because there's the
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00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:50,520
same last name doesn't
necessarily mean it's bad.
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00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:55,440
Tim, I saw your hand go up.
Yeah, and this might be
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something you get to, but just
while you're on the topic, I
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00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:01,320
wanted to add that, you know, I,
I shouldn't even have to say
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that I'm not pro monarchy, but
there is actually an argument to
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be made for the fact that a
Prince is going to receive the
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education of the king and he's
going to be shaped and molded
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into performing that role.
And that kind of thing happens
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in America as well, that the
younger generation is going to
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receive the education of their
father.
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And you can kind of see why it
might go from one generation to
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the next. 100 percent, 100%.
And thanks, Tim, for clarifying
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that too.
That's the point I was kind of
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trying to make is that it
doesn't always necessarily mean
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that it's, it's a corruption,
right?
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00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,720
It just means like any, like,
it's like anything else, right?
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00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,800
We see a lot of guys go through
professional sports who later on
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their sons do and can be just as
good as they are.
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That doesn't mean that that they
were gifted a position.
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00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,200
That just means that they
inherited some of their father's
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00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:58,520
abilities and whatnot.
Does anyone have anything else
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00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:00,560
they'd like to add to that
before we move on here?
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All right.
Actually, I will.
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I'll hop in real quick.
Yeah, Aristocracy is a loaded
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term that has a lot of baggage
and kind of a lot of negative
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perception to it.
And because for good reason, you
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know, this, this artificial
aristocracy as, as Jefferson
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00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:37,120
phrases it is, is, it's a, it's
a holding on to power when you,
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when you have not proven worthy
or you know, you, you, you
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shouldn't right, Right.
But, but shouldn't don't we want
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to have the best possible
leaders?
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Don't we want to have the most
competent, the most virtuous,
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like?
And so this natural aristocracy,
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even though the term might kind
of be a trigger and like have a
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00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,600
negative connotation because of
all of the abuses of it, there's
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nothing wrong with aristocracy.
It is just simply the most
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competent and virtuous people
running the show and taking care
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of stuff.
Taking care of business like
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that is not anything to to have
a problem with.
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I, I just wanted to point out
that there's no better system as
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long as it's fallen mortal
people, there's no better system
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than a natural aristocracy to
have the greatest chance of
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Freedom and Justice and liberty
and all of that.
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And, and so like, as a parent,
we shouldn't be encouraging our
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kids to, to not develop their
talents to not, you know,
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improve themselves and, and be
the best that they possibly can.
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And if they are objectively more
qualified and, and competent
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than others, they really, they,
they probably won't want it, but
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they are the ones that should be
holding positions of leadership
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and trust and respect and, and,
you know, and government power.
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100% and, and I think the big
take away here is that it needs
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to be obtained by merit, right?
And, and we're going to dive
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into that a little later.
And I think that's what you're
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saying, right, Taylor, is that
it's and, and correct me if I'm
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wrong, I don't want to put words
in your mouth, but it's based on
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the merit, right?
Yeah.
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What?
What is it you have done that
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shows that you can be a
competent leader and quite
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00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:37,320
frankly, to stand a post to
safeguard everybody else's
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rights and responsibilities?
Yeah, and like you were saying,
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it can be.
It's not like genetic, but no,
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if you have a good dad, then you
have a better chance of being a
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00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:54,880
good man.
You know, if you, if you have a
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00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,720
good mom, you have a better
chance of being a good woman.
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And so these are, you could call
them a proxy.
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And but what we can't, what we
have to be careful of wealth,
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which is what, and fame and
popularity, which is how
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politics often times devolves to
that.
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00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,960
That can be a proxy for
competence, but it isn't.
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00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,000
It it doesn't, it doesn't.
It's not always.
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Sometimes it could be a proxy
for or in, in other words, it's
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a, it's a consequence of
corruption and, you know,
290
00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,360
rigging the game in your favor,
that sort of thing.
291
00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,040
So we have to be real careful of
that.
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00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:38,800
Absolutely great points, Taylor
and Tim.
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Does anybody else have anything
you'd like to add?
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OK, so from the reading,
according to to Ben Franklin,
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00:21:55,320 --> 00:22:00,880
these two vices would be
something that people that
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00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:07,440
people would be tempted by in
public office. 1 is ambition and
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the other is avarice.
So I'm going to throw throw this
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out.
Isn't ambition a good thing?
299
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Shouldn't we want people to be
ambitious?
300
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Why would ambition be a negative
thing that could tempt people
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00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:32,770
who hold public office M.
Yeah, it's funny, we actually
302
00:22:32,770 --> 00:22:34,570
kind of talked about this in
priesthood meeting just
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yesterday.
It ambition.
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Another way to phrase that in,
in a regard that is often
305
00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,600
referred to negatively is the
aspiring spirit that is
306
00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:46,520
sometimes talked about in in
church circles.
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And it's the idea that if you're
overly ambitious, perhaps your
308
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heart isn't in the right place.
Perhaps you're only seeking the
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00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,000
power or the fame or the
prestige that comes with it and
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that you're not sufficiently
humbled.
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And in again, in a religious
setting, it signifies that
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00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,880
perhaps you haven't sacrificed
your will on the altar of
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religion or on the altar of
faith.
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That's that's usually the the
bad things of ambition that
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00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,920
people are talking about. 100%
can't agree more with you.
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Does anyone else have anything
they'd like to add to that?
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00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,400
Yeah, it's interesting.
If you study the American
318
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,320
founding, they didn't ever.
I mean, there was warnings all
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00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,720
over the place talking about we
don't want political parties.
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00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,800
We don't want we don't want
people campaigning like the the
321
00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,440
concept of of running a campaign
and aspiring to an office.
322
00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:44,240
It was kind of repulsive to a
lot of these founders, right?
323
00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:49,400
And yet that's like just
absolutely business, you know,
324
00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:56,400
today.
And it's because I think the
325
00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,360
this, it's that it's like, like
Tim was just saying that
326
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:03,360
aspiring spirit, when you want
the power, you probably
327
00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:07,120
shouldn't be trusted with it.
And so because like, why do you
328
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want the power?
You know, since you brought up a
329
00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:13,760
religious context, I'm reminded
of Section 121 where it talks
330
00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,400
about we've learned by sad
experiences the nature and
331
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,400
disposition of almost all men.
As soon as they get a little
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00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,240
power or authorities, they
suppose they immediately begin
333
00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,960
to exercise in righteous
dominion or in other words, be
334
00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:31,480
crappy people.
And so like, this is the the
335
00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:35,320
intent of Ben Franklin and, and
these John Adams, these other
336
00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:39,520
people was to try to nip that in
the bud.
337
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,760
And unfortunately, they weren't
fully successful at it.
338
00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:46,680
But nevertheless they they
attempted to to protect from
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00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:52,320
this natural human tendency to
basically go corrupt when you
340
00:24:52,320 --> 00:25:01,360
get.
Power 100% you know, there there
341
00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:09,520
is this idea that you have to
run a campaign now because
342
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,960
America is so large.
And look, I do, I do want to say
343
00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,560
this, I don't think running a
campaign in and of itself is, is
344
00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:23,680
wrong, but I do think that the
motives and the motivation
345
00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,160
behind it do need to be
questioned from time to time.
346
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,720
And we're actually going to talk
a little bit about that a little
347
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,240
later here in this in this one
section.
348
00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,520
But Taylor, you're, you're spot
on and 100% right.
349
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:43,680
Anybody else?
All right, so then how would
350
00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:48,680
someone define avarice?
What does it mean to be avarice?
351
00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,440
That would just be greedy.
Greedy, exactly.
352
00:25:57,880 --> 00:25:59,880
Just hogging up that money,
right?
353
00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:03,240
And these were the two things
that Franklin and the founders
354
00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:09,440
were really worried about in
terms of getting good, virtuous
355
00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,560
and moral leaders in place
because they understood human
356
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,240
nature.
And they did take some, or at
357
00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:20,400
least Franklin tried really hard
to take some steps to avert
358
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,360
this.
Unfortunately, it found its way
359
00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:26,480
in by other means that we'll go
over later.
360
00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,360
So those were the two things
that that Franklin in particular
361
00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:34,080
was most worried about in that
that go along with this
362
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,160
principle.
Does anyone have anything they
363
00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:38,880
want to add to that before I
move on?
364
00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:48,960
OK, this is a quote from Ben
Franklin that I wanted to read
365
00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,560
because I I feel like he really
sums us up really well.
366
00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:56,040
Let me move this out of the way
here, Sir.
367
00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:59,200
There are two passions which
have a powerful influence on the
368
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,560
affairs of men.
They are ambition and avarice,
369
00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,200
the love of power and the love
of money.
370
00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,320
Separately.
Each of these has great force in
371
00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:13,000
prompting men to action, but
when united in view of the same
372
00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:17,240
object, they have in many minds
the most violent effects.
373
00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:21,800
Placed before the eyes of such
men, a post of honor that shall
374
00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:25,520
at the same time be a place of
profit, and they will move
375
00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,600
heaven and earth to obtain it.
The vast number of such places
376
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:34,760
it is that renders the British
Government so temptress the
377
00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,720
struggles for them are the true
sources of all those factions
378
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:43,960
which are perpetually dividing
the nation, distracting its
379
00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:49,160
councils, hurrying sometimes
into fruitful, fruitless and
380
00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:54,880
mischievous wars, and often
compelling A submission to
381
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:59,520
dishonorable terms of peace.
And that comes out of the notes
382
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,120
of the Constitutional
Convention.
383
00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,480
But Franklin was 100% correct on
this.
384
00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:09,160
Does anyone have anything they
would like to to say in regards
385
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:16,720
to this?
I just think that this is kind
386
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:21,320
of a tricky one in our modern
day and age, to be honest with
387
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:26,040
the Arvis because, well, it's
not about salaries anymore.
388
00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:32,280
You know, there are so many ways
to monetize a political
389
00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,880
position.
OK, Yep, I was going to get to.
390
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,560
This some of which I was.
Going to get to this later, but
391
00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:40,240
let's do this now.
This is good.
392
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:45,240
OK, explain, Explain how it can
be monetized now, Justin?
393
00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:51,880
Well, there's a lot of ways you
can, we have a, you know, not to
394
00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:53,800
dunk on anybody in particular,
right?
395
00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:59,280
But I mean, we've got presidents
launching meme coins outside of
396
00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:00,800
that.
There's a there's a gambling
397
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:05,800
market called Pauly market that
somebody made half $1,000,000 on
398
00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,280
the other day by predicting the
Iran war attack.
399
00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:15,680
Now that's kind of a dumb thing
to be gambling on in my opinion,
400
00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,120
because all it takes is 1
insider to go in there and, and,
401
00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:24,040
and collect.
But nonetheless, you've got
402
00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,440
people gambling on that kind of
thing.
403
00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:32,320
You have insider information and
stock trading, you've got kind
404
00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:36,680
of quid pro quo business deals.
You know, you scratch my back
405
00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,120
and, and you set me up once I'm
out of office.
406
00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,640
You know, I mean, there's just
so many ways, there's so many
407
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,560
ways of corruption that I don't
think it's possible anymore to
408
00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,920
really keep track and, and know
all of them.
409
00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:55,160
Be aware of all, even just
campaign donations can be a form
410
00:29:55,160 --> 00:30:02,920
of of corruption in this
regards. 100% I think the
411
00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:06,320
president's salary now and, and
someone can correct me if I'm
412
00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:09,400
wrong, if someone wants to Fact
Check this real quick, I think
413
00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,240
it's still set at $250,000 a
year.
414
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,960
Is does anyone have that by
chance?
415
00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,040
Let me, I can look it up here
too real quick.
416
00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:18,520
I should have had this
beforehand.
417
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:32,200
No, excuse me, it's $400,000 now
monthly.
418
00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:38,680
Wow, they really went for it?
Oh, an annual salary of 400
419
00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:41,440
four, 100,000 a year paid
monthly.
420
00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,840
OK, I see what they were saying.
I misread that.
421
00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,440
Yeah, so.
And, and look, that's a large
422
00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,240
sum of money.
He's going to be, he's going to
423
00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,440
be a millionaire by the time he
walks out of there.
424
00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:57,080
However, in the grand scheme of
things, it's not that much.
425
00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:00,720
There have been politicians that
have went to Washington making
426
00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:06,760
like 100,000 a year and then
they leave Washington darn near
427
00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:10,440
billionaires.
And when you start looking at
428
00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:15,960
the insider trading, when you
start looking at the, at, at the
429
00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:21,760
special interest groups and the
lobbyists, it, it becomes pretty
430
00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:24,000
apparent where, where things are
done.
431
00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:30,560
When I was living back East, I,
I did something, I, I went to
432
00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,400
Philadelphia, I went to
Independence Hall, I went to,
433
00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,640
you know, the square, I saw the
Constitution Center.
434
00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,880
Then we went up and we saw you,
I mean, went down and saw
435
00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,760
Yorktown.
And then as we came back home,
436
00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:48,200
we went to DC and someone told
me that it was on K St. in
437
00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:50,840
Washington, where all the
lobbyists are.
438
00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,680
And that was the busiest St. in
all of Washington that day.
439
00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,120
I don't know if it's always that
way, but it was that day and
440
00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,840
before where you could go to
some of those sites that were
441
00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:05,160
closer to the revolution and the
spirit would testify something
442
00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:09,480
important happened right here.
I remember walking down K St.
443
00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,000
and it was the exact opposite
feeling.
444
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,360
It was a dark feeling.
And there was no doubt that
445
00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,960
that's where the levers of power
were really getting pulled.
446
00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:21,680
Taylor.
Yeah.
447
00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,880
And so like there's a book that
Ogden Kraut wrote called The
448
00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:31,080
Four Crafts and he talks about
priestcraft, statecraft, lawyer
449
00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:34,840
craft and doctor craft.
And you we could maybe think of
450
00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,000
even more, but those that's a
good kind of summation.
451
00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,000
And and so I just wanted to
point out one quick little
452
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:45,920
thing, a point of hypocrisy,
because the the Book of Mormon
453
00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,920
condemns priestcraft and yet so
often.
454
00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,480
And so like we've been talking
about civil government for the
455
00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:55,880
most part in this discussion.
This book is kind of more
456
00:32:55,880 --> 00:33:00,680
devoted to that.
But but I think we can translate
457
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:05,840
these principles in other areas
as well and see the same fall in
458
00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:10,280
human nature, tendencies and
problems because you look at so
459
00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:16,400
many of the the like the
Mormonism restoration branches.
460
00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:20,720
I come from the church and it
was it was just kind of bizarre
461
00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:26,160
to see very humble people to get
called into the quorum of 12
462
00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,720
apostles.
And suddenly, you know, and it's
463
00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:32,520
not, I'm not saying that the
church directly even does it,
464
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,880
although it does some some to
some degree from some documents
465
00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:41,120
that were leaked years ago.
But like if you get called, you
466
00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:44,000
were an instant celebrity and
then you put out a book and you
467
00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:45,760
get you have like a captive
audience.
468
00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,640
You're guaranteed to get a
hundreds of thousands of sales.
469
00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:54,040
And so like these very people
that came in to those positions
470
00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:58,800
quite humble all of a sudden are
like slinging massive amounts of
471
00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:02,960
money around.
And, and, and, you know, in
472
00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,840
fundamentalism, there's nothing
quite that egregious, but there
473
00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:13,600
are nevertheless instances where
people, what do they say?
474
00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,360
Power corrupts absolute power
corrupts absolutely.
475
00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:20,080
And so you look at a guy like
Warren Jeffs who, who got into
476
00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:24,840
the position of absolute power
in that, in that situation, and
477
00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:28,840
he's an easy punching bag
because all of his skeletons are
478
00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:31,320
out in the open now.
But, you know, I think that that
479
00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:35,719
similar principle can, can also
apply in every organ.
480
00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:40,239
It it its potential to apply in
every church organization.
481
00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:42,440
So it's something that we need
to be constantly vigilant
482
00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,600
against.
And you know, from not just
483
00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,840
ourselves, but also if we, if
we, if we sustain our leaders,
484
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,719
that doesn't mean that we say,
we're saying we'll do whatever
485
00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,800
you tell us, boss.
What it says is that if we see
486
00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:01,200
them falling into these types of
traps of the adversary that we
487
00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:07,040
are promising to help them
repent, you know, bring it to
488
00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:08,760
their attention.
Maybe they just don't, they
489
00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:10,280
don't realize where they're
headed.
490
00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:14,720
That's part of our sacred
covenant to, to sustain our
491
00:35:14,720 --> 00:35:21,280
leaders is to help them see when
they're falling into these same
492
00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,840
types of traps and, and, and
things like that.
493
00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:29,480
Absolutely.
OK, so now I'm going to open
494
00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:31,520
this up for a little bit more
discussion here.
495
00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:37,640
And I'm going to ask us to, to
think back to that first
496
00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:42,800
discussion we had here where I,
I threw out a bunch of quotes,
497
00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:49,240
some from from Mormon leaders,
some from the early founders.
498
00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:53,440
And the one I'm going to, you
know, preface this whole this,
499
00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,280
this, this part of the
discussion with come from
500
00:35:56,280 --> 00:36:01,480
Washington right before they,
they take the vote on the
501
00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:05,160
Constitution at the convention.
And he says, gentlemen, these
502
00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:10,680
many months we've labored here
together and we now are in a
503
00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:14,040
position to vote on this
document.
504
00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:18,440
And he says, let us raise a
standard to which the wise and
505
00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:23,280
noble can repair.
The event is now in God's hands.
506
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,560
What Washington is saying there
is that the Constitution isn't
507
00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:32,840
perfect and I don't think it was
ever meant to be.
508
00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:36,000
I think it's darn good.
I think it's worth preserving.
509
00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:39,520
But I do think that there is
room for improvement.
510
00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:44,280
So let's you know, all you guys
are wise and noble.
511
00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:48,160
Let's let me ask you this.
How would you solve this problem
512
00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,760
if any of you had the
opportunity?
513
00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,000
And I'm just looking for ideas
because I think it's a a good
514
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:57,080
thought exercise.
How would you fix the problem at
515
00:36:57,080 --> 00:37:01,720
hand of avarice?
The love of money getting in the
516
00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:16,440
way of good government.
This is a little out there and
517
00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:20,560
it might not be a long term
solution, but I think that maybe
518
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:24,080
for a year or two Congress has
to fund every law they pass
519
00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:28,080
personally.
Oh, I like that.
520
00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:31,920
I like that a lot.
Anybody else?
521
00:37:39,010 --> 00:37:41,610
This is a little bit of a
tangent, but if I think it
522
00:37:41,610 --> 00:37:45,090
directly speaks to what you, you
know, this discussion you're
523
00:37:45,090 --> 00:37:48,850
bringing up, Alexis de
Tocqueville was a French guy, a
524
00:37:48,850 --> 00:37:52,210
French author, and he, he wrote
a book called Democracy in
525
00:37:52,210 --> 00:37:55,640
America.
And de Tocqueville, he talks
526
00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:59,800
about how, yes, America has this
thriving government, but it was
527
00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,320
a very small government in those
days, right?
528
00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:06,280
It was an extremely limited in
scope like the federal
529
00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:08,920
government was nothing like it
is today.
530
00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:14,040
But he talks about six other
institutions that make America
531
00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:18,320
great and is is making this
experiment in democracy work in
532
00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:25,040
America and he talks about them
being family, church, academia,
533
00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:35,160
media, local government.
I had Claire, I'm talking and so
534
00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:40,800
and, and so I just think that
this the media, the, if the, if
535
00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:45,240
we had journalists that were
actually doing journalism rather
536
00:38:45,240 --> 00:38:49,440
than just cheerleader ISM, I
guess, for lack of a better
537
00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:55,720
word, that would actually expose
when so and so gets caught being
538
00:38:55,720 --> 00:38:58,560
naughty.
You know, 'cause the American
539
00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,640
people is as corrupt as we've
become as a people.
540
00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:07,120
Like we still don't we, we still
have some scruples and we still
541
00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:11,880
would have some outrage, but
often times the worst
542
00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:16,600
corruptions are covered up and,
and, and it makes the media
543
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:20,600
complicit in, in covering the
sins of the of the elected
544
00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,720
officials anyway.
So I just was going to just say
545
00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:26,360
I don't there's since we're
talking about like wish list
546
00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:32,040
items, man, if there could, if
the if the media could repent
547
00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:36,040
and do their job, I think that
that would bring, you know, a
548
00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:43,160
lot of light into the actual,
you know, problems that are very
549
00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:44,680
ubiquitous in our government
today.
550
00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:47,440
No, I couldn't agree with you
more.
551
00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,720
And, and in a way, I think I
think that correction might be
552
00:39:50,720 --> 00:39:53,240
happening.
I think this last presidential
553
00:39:53,240 --> 00:39:59,680
election cycle showed the power
of Independent Voices podcast,
554
00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,000
right?
I'll just give the example.
555
00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:09,800
Joe Rogan made the offer to both
Trump and his VP as well as
556
00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:14,720
Kamala and her VP to come to his
studio to have a long form
557
00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:17,080
conversation where he would ask
questions.
558
00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:22,600
Trump and Vance said Yep we're
there, we'll do it.
559
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:26,800
Gave like 3 hours, they went for
it and that was it.
560
00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:31,840
When it came time to Kamala
Harris and her camp, they said,
561
00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:36,200
well we'll do it, but it's got
to stick to an hour and you have
562
00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:38,800
to come to us.
And it would have been an
563
00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:42,480
unlevel playing field.
And I think and, and Rogan was
564
00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:47,400
very clear on that as he went to
it because they kind of tried to
565
00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:53,520
blame him that they weren't on
and it came out on what had
566
00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:57,000
happened.
And I do think that that may
567
00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,720
have had some influence on
shifting the election, perhaps.
568
00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:04,240
I, I can't say for certain, but
I do wonder if that's not
569
00:41:04,240 --> 00:41:05,960
already starting to be
corrected.
570
00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:09,040
Because you're right, Taylor,
the, the media is a problem
571
00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:14,040
when, when we can't get get
accurate news, we I see your
572
00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:15,560
hand up.
What do you have there, brother?
573
00:41:24,720 --> 00:41:33,610
You're still on mute, Sir.
Can you hear me now, Dave?
574
00:41:34,410 --> 00:41:35,290
Yep.
Gotcha.
575
00:41:35,730 --> 00:41:37,450
OK.
I was just going to say I think
576
00:41:37,450 --> 00:41:41,130
that the term limits is a really
good place to start.
577
00:41:41,130 --> 00:41:46,530
I think that the presidential
term should be shortened to a
578
00:41:46,530 --> 00:41:51,450
couple of years.
And you know, the rest of the
579
00:41:51,450 --> 00:41:54,720
term limits should definitely
not be lifetime.
580
00:41:54,720 --> 00:41:56,480
They should be shortened as
well.
581
00:41:56,480 --> 00:42:02,200
I think it takes quite a while
to, to put your, your motives
582
00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:09,120
into a fruitful action, you
know, So if you didn't, if you
583
00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:12,160
was in there a long time, you
would have way more opportunity
584
00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:14,800
to mop up all you wanted to with
greed.
585
00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:19,640
But if you didn't have time to
pull that off, it would be late.
586
00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:24,080
Way less enticing to try to run
with a I'll motive.
587
00:42:25,920 --> 00:42:30,040
Gotcha.
Anyone have anything in
588
00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:35,680
response?
Yeah, I'll comment on that.
589
00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:40,280
One of my friends who's a
marketing genius and knows a lot
590
00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:46,320
of things that I am not up to
on, on just the latest and
591
00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:48,200
greatest.
He's just fantastic.
592
00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:51,800
Anyway, he's commented
politically for one of the first
593
00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:53,880
times on his.
Over the last.
594
00:42:53,880 --> 00:43:00,560
Year on that topic and he said
he said that with the Epstein
595
00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:03,880
file release and all of this
corruption that we're seeing
596
00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:09,440
that almost everyone in politics
kind of had some some skeletons
597
00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:12,560
in their closet that people are
kind of using against them to
598
00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:17,680
get whatever they want and
probably blackmail ish And you
599
00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:21,920
know we know that Clintons and
his intern and that now it's
600
00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:25,280
come out apparently that he's
gone to Epstein island a bunch
601
00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:27,560
of times whatever the real story
is there.
602
00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:35,160
But his his thesis is that we
should have term limits because
603
00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:40,960
the longer people are there in
service in public service, the
604
00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:43,480
more skeletons they'll have and
the more likely that they'll
605
00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:46,160
have some but something that
people can use against him and
606
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:48,960
you know when it really comes to
it.
607
00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:56,200
Who are the greatest people in
politics today The the guy that
608
00:43:56,200 --> 00:44:00,960
comes to mind is Ron Paul.
He's been in office for multiple
609
00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:03,880
years.
He has always had virtuous moral
610
00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:09,760
character and with his insight
into how the game has been
611
00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:12,880
playing played over decades of
time.
612
00:44:13,560 --> 00:44:16,040
He's one of the greatest forces
in politics.
613
00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:21,120
I would not want to see this guy
not continue in whatever he
614
00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:25,560
wanted to do in the example that
he's been setting and he is a
615
00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:28,720
virtuous and sticks by
principles.
616
00:44:28,720 --> 00:44:30,360
And he's not been subject to
that.
617
00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:34,640
But yes, it does seem that the
majority of people who are
618
00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:38,000
elected seem to get themselves
their, their little hands dirty
619
00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:40,560
and something once they go to
DC.
620
00:44:40,560 --> 00:44:45,400
And certainly, certainly that
seems to be an an issue.
621
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:50,680
Yet there's also another thing
that people haven't really
622
00:44:50,680 --> 00:44:57,000
thought of with that term limits
is having a, a constitutional
623
00:44:57,000 --> 00:45:00,880
convention to, to even implement
it, which opens the door to the
624
00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:06,520
idea of our entire Constitution
being revamped for just that,
625
00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:13,000
for just that reason.
So there's there's sometimes
626
00:45:13,000 --> 00:45:17,160
bigger implications and bigger
things at stake on, on some of
627
00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:20,000
these little tweaks that that we
that sound really good.
628
00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:24,360
Because actually I kind of lean
towards what Alan is saying, you
629
00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:27,440
know, when he says, hey, look,
you know, the longer these
630
00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:31,360
little corrupt people are are
there in DC, the more dirt you
631
00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:33,800
got on them.
And and we are seeing that
632
00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:36,760
really play out in our day.
So yeah.
633
00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:43,040
Thanks guys.
You know, one, one of the things
634
00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:47,720
I thought about was if I, I
definitely think term limits can
635
00:45:47,720 --> 00:45:51,920
be a good idea.
I do like the the idea of having
636
00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:55,400
people in there who know the
problems, right?
637
00:45:55,400 --> 00:46:00,000
So kind of a continuity thing.
Kind of my thought was as long
638
00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,480
as you're ascending, you can
stay there, right.
639
00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:05,600
So if you're a congressman and
you become a senator, that's
640
00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:07,440
great.
And then from a senator, if you
641
00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:09,280
become president, that's good
too.
642
00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:12,160
And then after that, you should
probably be done.
643
00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:15,320
But no, all all good stuff.
I appreciate it.
644
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:17,440
All right.
Anything else anyone wants to
645
00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:20,640
add before we move on?
Lee, did you have something
646
00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:21,960
else?
I saw your hand was still up,
647
00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:28,170
bro.
Yes.
648
00:46:28,170 --> 00:46:30,530
Not OK.
We'll move on here.
649
00:46:33,050 --> 00:46:36,650
I just want to read this because
this is kind of a a little bit
650
00:46:36,650 --> 00:46:39,530
of a prophecy that that Ben
Franklin had.
651
00:46:39,530 --> 00:46:43,080
He said, Sir, though we may set
out in the beginning with
652
00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:47,440
moderate salaries, we shall find
that such will not be for long
653
00:46:47,440 --> 00:46:52,200
of long continuance reasons.
We'll never be wanting for
654
00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:56,600
proposed augmentations, and
there will always be a party for
655
00:46:56,600 --> 00:47:00,800
giving more to the rulers, that
the rulers may be able in return
656
00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:04,960
to give more to them.
Hence, as all history informs
657
00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:09,040
us, there has been in every
state and Kingdom a constant
658
00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:13,160
kind of warfare between the
governing and the governed, the
659
00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:16,640
one striving to obtain more for
its support and the other to
660
00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:21,440
payless.
And this has alone occasioned
661
00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:26,400
great convulsions, actual civil
wars, ending either in
662
00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:31,400
dethroning of the Princess or
ever, or enslaving of the people
663
00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:34,360
generally.
Indeed, the ruling power carries
664
00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:38,400
its point, and we see the
revenues of Princess constantly
665
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:43,000
increasing, and we see that they
are never satisfied, but always
666
00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:46,400
in want of more.
The more the people are
667
00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:50,040
discontented with the oppression
of taxes, the greater need the
668
00:47:50,040 --> 00:47:54,640
Prince has of money to
distribute among his partisans
669
00:47:55,040 --> 00:48:00,000
and pay the troops that are to
suppress all resistance and
670
00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:02,000
enable him to plunder at
pleasure.
671
00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:08,640
Here it's interesting because
Franklin isn't necessarily
672
00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:11,360
prophesying, he's just looking
at history, right?
673
00:48:11,680 --> 00:48:15,680
Especially that part about pay
the troops that are to suppress
674
00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:18,880
all resistance.
I think he's referencing Rome
675
00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:22,280
there with the Praetorian Guard.
Towards the end of the Roman
676
00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:25,560
Empire, the Praetorian Guard was
the important function.
677
00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:29,320
If an emperor got in that they
didn't like, they would just
678
00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:31,640
assassinate him and have another
one installed.
679
00:48:32,320 --> 00:48:35,680
And so this ever increasing
spending.
680
00:48:35,680 --> 00:48:39,480
I think we can look at this both
from the presidential standpoint
681
00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:44,520
and the individual, as well as a
ton of other things ranging from
682
00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:49,040
increasing payments to all of
Congress to the military
683
00:48:49,040 --> 00:48:52,040
industrial complex.
The whole thing is just littered
684
00:48:52,040 --> 00:48:56,880
with money and avarice.
Excuse me, money and and wanton
685
00:48:56,880 --> 00:48:59,600
power.
Does anyone else have anything
686
00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:05,800
they'd like to add here before
we move on Good deal.
687
00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:13,080
So this was his Ben Ben Franklin
solution.
688
00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:18,640
He said Sir, though we may set
out well, never mind I missed
689
00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:23,520
did that one here.
It is there a scarce a king and
690
00:49:23,520 --> 00:49:25,960
100.
Who would not, if he could
691
00:49:26,400 --> 00:49:30,280
follow the example of Pharaoh,
get first all the people's
692
00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:33,960
money, then all their lands, and
then make them and their
693
00:49:33,960 --> 00:49:38,320
children servants forever?
It will be said that we do not
694
00:49:39,160 --> 00:49:42,720
propose to establish kings.
I know it, but there is a
695
00:49:42,720 --> 00:49:46,120
natural inclination in mankind
to kingly government.
696
00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:52,080
It sometimes relieves them from
the aristocratic domination.
697
00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:55,640
They had rather have one tyrant
than 500.
698
00:49:56,080 --> 00:50:00,160
It gives more of the appearance
of equality among citizens, and
699
00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:03,960
that they like.
I am apprehensive, therefore,
700
00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:07,960
perhaps too apprehensive, that
the government of these states
701
00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:11,120
may in future times end in
monarchy.
702
00:50:11,480 --> 00:50:15,880
But this catastrophe, I think,
may be long delayed, if in our
703
00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:19,880
proposed system we do not sow
the seeds of contention,
704
00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:24,560
faction, and tumult by making
our posts of honor places of
705
00:50:24,560 --> 00:50:28,240
profit.
If we do, I fear that through
706
00:50:28,240 --> 00:50:32,680
though we employ at first a
number, and not a single person,
707
00:50:33,720 --> 00:50:38,160
the number will in time be set
aside, and it will only nourish
708
00:50:38,240 --> 00:50:43,200
the the fetus of a king, as the
honorable gentleman from
709
00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:45,800
Virginia very aptly expressed
it.
710
00:50:46,120 --> 00:50:49,680
And a king will the sooner be
set over us.
711
00:50:51,360 --> 00:50:56,560
And as Justin pointed out, this
isn't just about taxing right or
712
00:50:56,920 --> 00:50:59,520
or anything else.
There is multiple ways now of
713
00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:03,600
getting rich while serving in in
these posts.
714
00:51:04,280 --> 00:51:08,280
And it's it's a problem that I
think does need to be contended
715
00:51:08,280 --> 00:51:10,640
with at some point.
But it was something that the
716
00:51:10,640 --> 00:51:14,680
founders even saw coming.
I don't think we should be
717
00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:18,520
surprised by this whatsoever.
Does anyone have any comments
718
00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:22,320
for for this section here this
reading from Franklin?
719
00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:35,120
OK, Vanessa, I see your hand go
up.
720
00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:41,040
Yeah, kind of to address the the
first quote that you had from
721
00:51:41,120 --> 00:51:47,320
Ben Franklin talking about kind
of leaders and needing more
722
00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:52,200
money and then and using that to
so their needs are greater and
723
00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:54,000
then the they have to keep
taxing.
724
00:51:54,000 --> 00:52:00,160
And it reminds me of kind of
some of the criticisms of the
725
00:52:00,160 --> 00:52:04,720
Democratic Party where they're
trying to bring in voters and
726
00:52:04,720 --> 00:52:08,160
they promised them all this
money in return for their vote.
727
00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:12,240
So it's kind of like this, the
circular thing where if they can
728
00:52:12,240 --> 00:52:15,080
take all the tax money and
reward people to keep them in
729
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:19,080
power, then they keep rewarding
and then they keep taking taxes.
730
00:52:19,240 --> 00:52:22,120
And so that's what I thought
about when I first read that
731
00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:25,560
quote.
And you're 100% correct.
732
00:52:25,560 --> 00:52:29,400
That is exactly the kind of
cycle that Franklin was trying
733
00:52:29,400 --> 00:52:34,440
to warn about.
And so somehow we have, oh, I
734
00:52:34,440 --> 00:52:36,360
heard somebody.
Else that I would just add that
735
00:52:36,360 --> 00:52:38,640
swings every direction too,
though that's not just a
736
00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:41,440
Democrat issue.
We recently just had Donald
737
00:52:41,440 --> 00:52:46,360
Trump.
He he, he's pushing for immunity
738
00:52:46,360 --> 00:52:52,000
to Bayer, the company that makes
the glisophates for the for the
739
00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:56,440
crops and is ordering them to
produce some for the government
740
00:52:56,960 --> 00:53:00,400
in a bid to protect them from
any kind of legal liability.
741
00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:04,800
And there's no explanation for
that other than there's some
742
00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:06,920
sort of a quid pro quo going on
there.
743
00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:10,640
Right, it looks like just a
problem with just politicians in
744
00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:12,440
general, which is what he was
warning about.
745
00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:16,600
Yeah, yeah, it's everybody
that's the problem, right?
746
00:53:16,600 --> 00:53:19,000
That's why I'm like, I, I get
where Benjamin Franklin's coming
747
00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:22,280
from on, on how you solve that,
but it's I also don't because
748
00:53:22,280 --> 00:53:26,200
how do you stop that other than
maybe like if you run for public
749
00:53:26,200 --> 00:53:28,840
office, your your bank accounts
get frozen.
750
00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:31,560
You get put up, you get room and
board at the White House for
751
00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:35,360
your presidency or for your term
in Congress, and you can't.
752
00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:37,600
You can't make any money.
In the meantime, your bank
753
00:53:37,600 --> 00:53:42,560
accounts are all frozen.
Yeah, no, it it's, it's a tricky
754
00:53:42,560 --> 00:53:46,520
problem from for sure.
And it it is something that at
755
00:53:46,520 --> 00:53:48,840
some point I think will have to
be remedied.
756
00:53:49,880 --> 00:53:53,440
I'm not so ignorant as to say or
arrogant, I should say, as to
757
00:53:53,440 --> 00:53:56,240
say that I think I have the
perfect solution for that.
758
00:53:57,160 --> 00:54:00,640
I would definitely want guys
around me, you know, around way
759
00:54:00,640 --> 00:54:02,560
smarter than me to help parse
that out.
760
00:54:05,800 --> 00:54:10,920
All right, so in moving on here,
yeah, I want to ask this
761
00:54:10,920 --> 00:54:14,440
question, If money and power
shouldn't be the motivation for
762
00:54:14,440 --> 00:54:17,600
public office, then what should
the motivation be?
763
00:54:25,730 --> 00:54:29,530
Anybody.
Noble and sincere interest in
764
00:54:29,530 --> 00:54:34,850
the welfare of the country. 100
percent, 100%.
765
00:54:35,370 --> 00:54:37,730
I think it's love of country and
countrymen.
766
00:54:37,730 --> 00:54:44,800
I'm going to read something here
from Franklin, and this is given
767
00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:46,760
in the Constitutional
Convention.
768
00:54:47,560 --> 00:54:49,800
He's referencing George
Washington.
769
00:54:50,200 --> 00:54:53,120
But because Washington is there,
he doesn't name him by name
770
00:54:53,120 --> 00:54:55,160
because he doesn't wish to
embarrass him or make him
771
00:54:55,160 --> 00:54:59,800
uncomfortable, because that sort
of heaping of praise Washington
772
00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:04,480
was not a fan of whatsoever.
And he says, to bring the matter
773
00:55:04,480 --> 00:55:08,560
closer to home, have we not seen
the greatest and most important
774
00:55:08,560 --> 00:55:12,600
of our offices, that of general
of our armies, executed for
775
00:55:12,640 --> 00:55:17,160
eight years together, without
the smallest of salary by a
776
00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:21,440
patriot whom I will not now
offend by any other praise?
777
00:55:22,000 --> 00:55:26,320
And this through fatigues and
distresses in common with the
778
00:55:26,320 --> 00:55:31,080
other brave men, his military
friends and companions, and the
779
00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:34,520
constant anxieties peculiar to
his station.
780
00:55:35,800 --> 00:55:41,040
Washington not only never took a
salary for what he did, it was a
781
00:55:41,040 --> 00:55:45,400
net negative to Washington
because Washington at one point
782
00:55:45,920 --> 00:55:50,560
he calls for a chaplain to be in
his army, right?
783
00:55:50,560 --> 00:55:53,040
He said we need a a chaplain
here.
784
00:55:53,720 --> 00:55:57,760
And he petitions Congress and
Congress doesn't do anything.
785
00:55:58,920 --> 00:56:01,560
This is the part where I like to
say the more things change, the
786
00:56:01,560 --> 00:56:07,520
more they stay the same.
So Washington pays out of pocket
787
00:56:08,200 --> 00:56:13,520
for his minister to follow his
army around so that the the men
788
00:56:13,520 --> 00:56:20,320
had access to spiritual care.
But Washington, as he always is,
789
00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:26,080
is the shining example of of how
we should should look at at at
790
00:56:26,080 --> 00:56:31,280
public office.
Taylor brought up kind of
791
00:56:31,280 --> 00:56:37,080
culture in the LDS Church, and
there was a running joke that I
792
00:56:37,080 --> 00:56:40,680
remember for a lot of years in
the in the LDS church, which was
793
00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:44,400
who's the guy that shouldn't be
Bishop, the guy who wants it the
794
00:56:44,400 --> 00:56:48,960
most.
And I think that that applies
795
00:56:48,960 --> 00:56:53,160
here.
And I think one of the reasons
796
00:56:53,160 --> 00:57:01,560
that we don't have more
regulation on our public
797
00:57:01,560 --> 00:57:06,120
officials, it's because I
honestly, I think to the
798
00:57:06,120 --> 00:57:12,200
founders, this idea of becoming
a career politician just was so
799
00:57:12,920 --> 00:57:17,040
disgusting to them.
There was this idea that you
800
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:20,720
would, you would be called on by
your electorate, right?
801
00:57:21,400 --> 00:57:25,200
People from your, your home
area, like, you know what, we,
802
00:57:25,200 --> 00:57:28,200
we know who, who, who Justin
Frankham is.
803
00:57:28,200 --> 00:57:29,920
He's a good guy.
We're going to send him to
804
00:57:29,920 --> 00:57:35,360
Congress to to represent us.
And then he would go, he would
805
00:57:35,360 --> 00:57:39,040
serve, and then he would come
home and go back to his
806
00:57:39,040 --> 00:57:43,400
vocation.
And the salary that he got was
807
00:57:43,400 --> 00:57:48,160
simply a way of trying to
compensate him for his time away
808
00:57:48,160 --> 00:57:53,640
from his his his livelihood.
Franklin also said the beautiful
809
00:57:53,640 --> 00:57:56,320
thing about the American system
is that the people will never
810
00:57:56,320 --> 00:58:01,040
raise a hand against themselves.
And when you look at the context
811
00:58:01,040 --> 00:58:05,280
of what he's talking about, it's
this idea that if this truly is
812
00:58:05,280 --> 00:58:10,680
a government by the people and
the citizenry is in charge, and
813
00:58:10,680 --> 00:58:14,000
there's a chance that all people
might have an opportunity to
814
00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:16,440
serve, a good chunk of the
population serve.
815
00:58:17,040 --> 00:58:19,920
You're not going to do anything
that's going to make your life
816
00:58:19,920 --> 00:58:24,800
difficult when you are no longer
a congressman or a senator or a
817
00:58:24,800 --> 00:58:26,840
president or any of those other
things.
818
00:58:27,280 --> 00:58:30,640
And it's only been since the
advent of career politicians
819
00:58:31,080 --> 00:58:34,840
that we start seeing this become
a bigger and bigger issue.
820
00:58:35,240 --> 00:58:36,800
Lee, I saw your hand go up there
again.
821
00:58:36,800 --> 00:58:39,760
Brother, what you got?
OK.
822
00:58:39,760 --> 00:58:41,720
When you were talking about
motivation.
823
00:58:43,160 --> 00:58:45,520
Can you hear me, Dave?
I can, Yep.
824
00:58:46,600 --> 00:58:49,280
OK, when you were talking about
motivation there and what it
825
00:58:49,280 --> 00:58:53,000
should be, it made me think of,
I don't remember if it was the
826
00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:58,520
prophet Samuel or if it was
Jeremiah, but the the prophet
827
00:58:58,600 --> 00:59:02,080
had gone through a lot of
persecution in his life for
828
00:59:02,080 --> 00:59:05,680
preaching the gospel or giving
the word of God, you know, to
829
00:59:05,680 --> 00:59:09,640
the people.
And and he he goes on this kind
830
00:59:09,640 --> 00:59:12,240
of rant about I curse the day I
was born.
831
00:59:12,240 --> 00:59:17,800
And, you know, he go, he laments
on all this, all these things
832
00:59:17,800 --> 00:59:19,840
that happened to him.
And he had determined in his
833
00:59:19,840 --> 00:59:23,560
mind that, you know, he was no
longer going to say the word of
834
00:59:23,560 --> 00:59:30,160
God to the people, but he he
makes the statement that it but
835
00:59:30,160 --> 00:59:33,680
it burned in his bones like a
fire and he could not stay.
836
00:59:34,960 --> 00:59:37,040
And so he went, went and
continued.
837
00:59:37,840 --> 00:59:41,080
And I think that it's that kind
of motivation.
838
00:59:41,760 --> 00:59:45,320
It's like the truth, you know,
burns within you and you just
839
00:59:45,320 --> 00:59:47,080
can't hold back.
You have to go.
840
00:59:47,600 --> 00:59:51,840
You want to go do it because
somebody needs to and the people
841
00:59:51,840 --> 00:59:54,360
need it, right?
That should be the the the true
842
00:59:54,360 --> 00:59:58,040
motivation because it burns
within you to do the right
843
00:59:58,040 --> 01:00:00,560
thing.
Absolutely.
844
01:00:01,000 --> 01:00:04,200
And, you know, I think it's
important to note that
845
01:00:04,880 --> 01:00:08,560
Washington tries to refuse
service many times over.
846
01:00:09,280 --> 01:00:13,040
Washington seems to be the
shining example of this, to the
847
01:00:13,040 --> 01:00:18,840
point that when he's done with
his two terms in office, the
848
01:00:18,840 --> 01:00:23,160
king over in England says if he
look, everybody loves him.
849
01:00:23,760 --> 01:00:27,320
The citizenry loves him, the
military loves him.
850
01:00:28,400 --> 01:00:31,440
And if he lead and, and this is
the part where I'll directly
851
01:00:31,440 --> 01:00:36,520
quote, if he leaves office, he
will be one of the greatest
852
01:00:36,520 --> 01:00:40,760
mortals that ever lived because
he really is turning down all
853
01:00:40,760 --> 01:00:42,680
the power.
And he did it.
854
01:00:43,840 --> 01:00:48,840
And it was so ingrained in
American Society that we didn't
855
01:00:48,840 --> 01:00:54,960
have a rule or a law about a
president can only serve 2 terms
856
01:00:56,000 --> 01:01:02,320
clear up until FDR dies.
And that's because FDRI think he
857
01:01:02,320 --> 01:01:04,560
ends up serving 4 terms as
president.
858
01:01:05,320 --> 01:01:10,040
And it scares Congress because
the body is barely cold and
859
01:01:10,040 --> 01:01:14,160
they're already in, off in, in,
in Congress getting the law
860
01:01:14,160 --> 01:01:17,320
ready to be pushed forward
because they never want to
861
01:01:17,320 --> 01:01:21,880
happen, have it happen again.
Up until that point, if you even
862
01:01:21,880 --> 01:01:24,360
mentioned that you were going to
run for a third term as
863
01:01:24,360 --> 01:01:28,040
president, people would look at
you and say, do you really think
864
01:01:28,040 --> 01:01:29,680
you're better than George
Washington?
865
01:01:30,240 --> 01:01:35,000
His example was so crystal clear
in this matter that that no one
866
01:01:35,000 --> 01:01:41,120
dared to to encroach upon that
until about the time of FDR when
867
01:01:41,120 --> 01:01:44,720
we start seeing the rise in, in
technocrats and those sorts of
868
01:01:44,720 --> 01:01:48,720
things in government.
Does anyone else have anything
869
01:01:48,720 --> 01:01:50,720
else they'd like to add here
before we move on?
870
01:01:54,960 --> 01:02:01,200
All right, good deal.
It's not working.
871
01:02:02,560 --> 01:02:06,760
There we go.
So what kind of quality should
872
01:02:06,760 --> 01:02:08,640
we look for in our elected
officials?
873
01:02:08,640 --> 01:02:11,160
It does talk about this in the
book at the beginning of this
874
01:02:11,160 --> 01:02:15,360
chapter.
One of them is experienced, and
875
01:02:15,360 --> 01:02:17,320
I want to talk about this for
just a minute.
876
01:02:19,600 --> 01:02:24,040
What kind of experience would
you want to see in an elect, in
877
01:02:24,040 --> 01:02:27,320
an, excuse me, in an elected
leader?
878
01:02:31,640 --> 01:02:34,520
What kind of experience do you
want to see on his resume, so to
879
01:02:34,520 --> 01:02:46,040
speak?
I'll comment on that one.
880
01:02:46,480 --> 01:02:48,600
Oh, we'll go to Corey, then
we'll go to Tim.
881
01:02:50,720 --> 01:02:56,200
I would say, you know, you look
at the Book of Mormon for, you
882
01:02:56,200 --> 01:03:00,280
know, kind of a principle, a
list of principles on those kind
883
01:03:00,280 --> 01:03:02,080
of things.
It's always been someone who has
884
01:03:02,080 --> 01:03:05,160
revelation, someone who has
character.
885
01:03:05,600 --> 01:03:08,800
And I would say in our culture,
someone who studies the and
886
01:03:08,800 --> 01:03:13,080
understands the principles of
the Constitution and holds them
887
01:03:13,080 --> 01:03:16,480
dearly to their heart, if they
don't really have a deep
888
01:03:16,480 --> 01:03:20,720
understanding of the principles
of the Constitution, I like kind
889
01:03:20,720 --> 01:03:25,440
of how Ron Paul is in our day.
I, I wouldn't have faith, faith
890
01:03:25,440 --> 01:03:30,720
in them in choosing rightly
because there are so many topics
891
01:03:30,720 --> 01:03:36,600
and politics that are going to
sound like, oh, that's a great
892
01:03:36,600 --> 01:03:38,600
idea.
Your advisors are going to tell
893
01:03:38,600 --> 01:03:40,440
you this and they're going to
tell you that.
894
01:03:40,440 --> 01:03:43,720
And next thing you know, you're
going to raise taxes and get in
895
01:03:43,720 --> 01:03:44,640
another.
War.
896
01:03:45,440 --> 01:03:49,520
That's and all these things
online, all these conversations,
897
01:03:49,520 --> 01:03:52,360
boy, some of them sound great
that these people come up with
898
01:03:52,680 --> 01:03:56,640
and even I'm like, wow, that
sounds great, except for it's
899
01:03:56,640 --> 01:04:01,680
absolutely not constitutional
and except for people have tried
900
01:04:01,680 --> 01:04:03,280
that before and it hasn't
worked.
901
01:04:03,280 --> 01:04:06,640
That kind of a thing that you
know, so, so experience
902
01:04:06,640 --> 01:04:09,280
understanding of the
constitution and someone who
903
01:04:09,280 --> 01:04:17,160
has, you know, a belief in God
and Jesus enough to be familiar
904
01:04:17,160 --> 01:04:19,800
and and have kind of proven
their themselves.
905
01:04:19,800 --> 01:04:22,640
And hey, they get revelation.
Hey, they turn to God, Hey, they
906
01:04:22,640 --> 01:04:26,560
love our heavenly Father and
they want to serve kind of like
907
01:04:26,560 --> 01:04:30,360
the King Benjamin type person,
that kind of a character,
908
01:04:30,520 --> 01:04:35,640
someone who's not trying to
raise taxes so that the people
909
01:04:35,640 --> 01:04:38,440
have any burden on them.
Someone who would want to even
910
01:04:38,440 --> 01:04:42,760
do it for free.
I would understand that some
911
01:04:43,280 --> 01:04:46,440
politicians ought to get paid if
they don't have any funds and
912
01:04:46,440 --> 01:04:49,760
other resources that they could
even, you know, pay themselves
913
01:04:49,760 --> 01:04:51,800
or or continue working in that
office.
914
01:04:51,800 --> 01:04:55,600
But some of these folks are
already are millionaires and
915
01:04:55,600 --> 01:04:57,560
they need to have extra pay for
it.
916
01:04:57,680 --> 01:05:01,720
You know, some of those ideas,
it's, it's crazy to me like
917
01:05:01,720 --> 01:05:05,960
$400,000 a year to be president.
It used to be 200 when I was a
918
01:05:05,960 --> 01:05:09,000
kid.
So anyway, those are my
919
01:05:09,000 --> 01:05:11,440
thoughts.
Sure, Tim, what do you got?
920
01:05:13,520 --> 01:05:16,680
Yeah, I think Corey listed some
good qualities of good character
921
01:05:16,680 --> 01:05:19,120
and of a virtuous person.
I was going to take a much more
922
01:05:19,120 --> 01:05:21,680
pragmatic approach and say that
on a resume.
923
01:05:21,720 --> 01:05:24,360
You would typically see people
taking stepping stones up to
924
01:05:24,360 --> 01:05:26,360
that office.
And so you would see somebody
925
01:05:26,360 --> 01:05:28,920
involved in local or municipal
politics, or maybe they're a
926
01:05:28,920 --> 01:05:31,600
sheriff and then a mayor, and
then they get involved in state
927
01:05:31,600 --> 01:05:34,440
politics, so they become a
governor and then they move from
928
01:05:34,440 --> 01:05:36,760
there to federal politics and up
to president from that.
929
01:05:38,080 --> 01:05:41,600
As opposed to some of the other
things that we've discussed
930
01:05:41,600 --> 01:05:45,800
tonight, such as your
monarchical type situations or
931
01:05:45,960 --> 01:05:47,920
aristocracle where they're born
into it.
932
01:05:49,920 --> 01:05:51,960
You bet.
Absolutely good stuff.
933
01:05:53,720 --> 01:05:57,960
All right, the next one is
training.
934
01:05:58,920 --> 01:06:03,960
And I think we can see this not
just from a technical
935
01:06:03,960 --> 01:06:07,440
standpoint, right?
I do think that the kind of
936
01:06:07,440 --> 01:06:11,440
training they're talking about
here probably has way more to do
937
01:06:13,040 --> 01:06:16,880
with with maybe their moral
training, right?
938
01:06:16,880 --> 01:06:20,880
Are they a virtuous person?
Which does time tie into the
939
01:06:20,880 --> 01:06:28,640
third one, which is kind of
proven virtue, right, Boy, OK,
940
01:06:28,640 --> 01:06:29,880
I'm going to make an admission
now.
941
01:06:29,880 --> 01:06:32,600
And none of you can ever say
this to the Department of Labor.
942
01:06:32,600 --> 01:06:36,920
I'm in trouble.
I tend if if I have a guy that
943
01:06:36,920 --> 01:06:42,600
comes and applies for a job with
me and he's about the age of 35
944
01:06:43,240 --> 01:06:47,440
and he's never been married, I
kind of raise an eyebrow a
945
01:06:47,440 --> 01:06:51,840
little bit and I start to wonder
like, OK, is it just bad luck?
946
01:06:51,840 --> 01:06:54,920
And, and usually through the
conversation that I have with
947
01:06:54,920 --> 01:06:58,520
him during an interview, I can
usually get down to the bottom
948
01:06:58,520 --> 01:07:00,880
of why it is.
And sometimes it's legit just
949
01:07:00,880 --> 01:07:03,120
hasn't found the right person,
something like that.
950
01:07:03,920 --> 01:07:10,000
But I do wonder from time to
time, like if you have bad
951
01:07:10,040 --> 01:07:13,760
relationships at home, you can
bet more times than not that's
952
01:07:13,760 --> 01:07:16,720
going to seep through at work.
And, and those kind of character
953
01:07:16,720 --> 01:07:22,360
flaws are going to be available
to, to, to be on display and to
954
01:07:22,360 --> 01:07:25,120
make your life more difficult in
a, in a work setting.
955
01:07:26,080 --> 01:07:30,600
And I, I do think that we can
look at a, a man's personal
956
01:07:30,600 --> 01:07:32,840
life.
Obviously Paul makes that right
957
01:07:33,440 --> 01:07:37,440
in that you, you need to be the
the husband of at least one wife
958
01:07:37,880 --> 01:07:42,520
and to have your household in
order in order for you to be a
959
01:07:42,520 --> 01:07:45,320
Bishop.
And that's just because you've
960
01:07:45,320 --> 01:07:47,480
proven that you can manage a
household.
961
01:07:47,720 --> 01:07:51,960
So you can probably take the
next step up for this, this
962
01:07:51,960 --> 01:07:55,520
other position.
Does somebody else have anything
963
01:07:55,520 --> 01:07:57,160
they want to add before we move
on there?
964
01:08:01,400 --> 01:08:10,400
OK, demonstrated wisdom.
This one is interesting.
965
01:08:10,400 --> 01:08:11,960
Lee, I saw your hand go up
again.
966
01:08:14,120 --> 01:08:16,880
Hey, yeah, I was just going to
say one other thing I would like
967
01:08:16,880 --> 01:08:21,840
to see in a in a leader is
someone that has overcome a
968
01:08:21,840 --> 01:08:27,120
bunch of adversity or that's a
good one, or, or dug themselves
969
01:08:27,120 --> 01:08:30,160
out of a, you know, like
somebody out of it.
970
01:08:30,160 --> 01:08:33,120
Like Ben Carson, you know, that
just didn't have a lot of
971
01:08:33,160 --> 01:08:36,040
opportunity, but he just clawed
his way up to where he was, you
972
01:08:36,040 --> 01:08:46,520
know, a lot of fortitude. 100%
no 100% And I think Lee in in
973
01:08:46,520 --> 01:08:50,319
some ways that ties into this
demonstrated wisdom, right.
974
01:08:51,120 --> 01:08:56,160
We live in what's been termed
the information age, and for the
975
01:08:56,160 --> 01:08:58,920
most part I agree with that.
I think any amount of
976
01:08:58,920 --> 01:09:02,720
information you want to get is
pretty much available at your
977
01:09:02,720 --> 01:09:07,160
your fingertips.
But information and wisdom are
978
01:09:07,160 --> 01:09:13,880
two completely different things.
And so this demonstrated wisdom
979
01:09:13,880 --> 01:09:20,000
I would hope would go into even
even if he's not in government,
980
01:09:20,040 --> 01:09:23,000
right?
But he's been successful as a
981
01:09:23,000 --> 01:09:27,000
military man or he's been
successful in business even.
982
01:09:27,479 --> 01:09:31,359
I don't think that's out of the
realm of possibility that, you
983
01:09:31,359 --> 01:09:35,520
know, there's a demonstration
here of his wisdom, both from a
984
01:09:35,520 --> 01:09:39,800
technical standpoint as well as
how he relates to other people
985
01:09:39,800 --> 01:09:41,439
and how he's treated other
people.
986
01:09:42,200 --> 01:09:46,520
I think all these things can be
great indicators of somebody
987
01:09:46,520 --> 01:09:51,680
who's ready to, to lead and and
to to try to do a good job in
988
01:09:51,680 --> 01:09:55,680
that if his experience is there,
if his training is there, if
989
01:09:55,680 --> 01:09:59,960
he's proven virtuous and he's
demonstrated wisdom right now, I
990
01:09:59,960 --> 01:10:02,360
take him.
I haven't seen that guy in a
991
01:10:02,360 --> 01:10:05,440
while, but hopefully that comes
back around again.
992
01:10:09,240 --> 01:10:15,960
So this part here I I really
wanted talk about this there.
993
01:10:16,080 --> 01:10:18,440
It doesn't really bring this up
in the book a whole lot.
994
01:10:18,440 --> 01:10:23,880
But I do feel it's important and
that is we have to be careful
995
01:10:24,360 --> 01:10:28,880
when politicians start to take
on kind of a rock star kind of
996
01:10:28,880 --> 01:10:35,000
following right with with the
kind of the the the over.
997
01:10:36,480 --> 01:10:40,720
Oh, I don't know, adoration of a
political leader.
998
01:10:42,360 --> 01:10:48,960
Tim, go ahead.
I didn't mean to interrupt you,
999
01:10:48,960 --> 01:10:50,480
Dave.
I was just going to raise my
1000
01:10:50,480 --> 01:10:52,800
hand so I could add on to the
fact that I love that you have
1001
01:10:52,800 --> 01:10:55,720
this slide in here.
Because one problem that our
1002
01:10:55,720 --> 01:10:59,280
entire country has is the
celebration of, of rock stars,
1003
01:10:59,280 --> 01:11:01,560
the celebration of fame.
I think it's just one of the
1004
01:11:01,560 --> 01:11:03,480
most poisonous things that we
do.
1005
01:11:04,960 --> 01:11:06,960
Absolutely no, you're you're
good, Tim.
1006
01:11:08,240 --> 01:11:11,160
And you're 100% correct, it is a
problem.
1007
01:11:11,800 --> 01:11:16,400
And often what we see come along
with this is propaganda and
1008
01:11:16,400 --> 01:11:20,160
propaganda is meant to make you
feel a certain way.
1009
01:11:20,840 --> 01:11:27,760
And so I just dug up some some
examples of propaganda that we
1010
01:11:27,760 --> 01:11:32,120
see.
And sorry if I'm about to
1011
01:11:32,120 --> 01:11:34,720
slaughter a sacred cow here to
anybody.
1012
01:11:34,880 --> 01:11:38,720
The first one I hope I don't.
The first one I hope we can all
1013
01:11:38,720 --> 01:11:42,000
agree is pretty bad.
But let's just take a look.
1014
01:11:44,400 --> 01:11:46,840
So this is 1 from World War 2
for Hitler.
1015
01:11:47,680 --> 01:11:51,560
And you notice here that he's
he's kind of set up in this
1016
01:11:51,560 --> 01:11:55,120
position of leading the charge,
right?
1017
01:11:55,120 --> 01:11:58,720
And the clouds are parting and
and the Valkyrie, you're flying
1018
01:11:58,720 --> 01:12:04,080
in and he's looking like he's
ready to save the save the
1019
01:12:04,080 --> 01:12:08,760
German people.
Now, fortunately, we've never
1020
01:12:08,760 --> 01:12:10,560
seen anything like that in
America.
1021
01:12:12,560 --> 01:12:14,840
Oops.
I guess we kind of did.
1022
01:12:16,800 --> 01:12:20,480
You know, if we look at this
picture and we really analyze
1023
01:12:20,480 --> 01:12:23,640
this picture, it's a little
spooky, right?
1024
01:12:23,960 --> 01:12:29,520
Here you have a political leader
who's looking from on high down
1025
01:12:29,520 --> 01:12:33,000
upon a city.
And the birds that are flying
1026
01:12:33,000 --> 01:12:38,360
there are doves, right?
Which is typically a symbol for
1027
01:12:38,520 --> 01:12:42,880
divinity, especially within the
Hebrew tradition, right?
1028
01:12:43,200 --> 01:12:47,440
We're told in the New Testament
that when Jesus is baptized,
1029
01:12:47,760 --> 01:12:51,440
there's a voice from heaven, and
then the Holy Spirit descends in
1030
01:12:51,440 --> 01:12:55,680
the form of a dove.
And this one was spooky.
1031
01:12:55,680 --> 01:12:59,440
Now, fortunately, we don't have
to worry about any of that from
1032
01:12:59,440 --> 01:13:02,360
the right side of the spit.
My bad.
1033
01:13:02,640 --> 01:13:07,280
I did it again.
Again, there's this mingling of
1034
01:13:07,280 --> 01:13:09,320
the divine with a political
leader.
1035
01:13:10,800 --> 01:13:13,200
And so I'm just going to ask
this question.
1036
01:13:14,240 --> 01:13:19,200
What is wrong with this?
I want to hear from from someone
1037
01:13:19,200 --> 01:13:23,320
else here what they find wrong
with this, ranging from Hitler
1038
01:13:23,320 --> 01:13:27,760
to Obama to Trump.
What are the problems here with
1039
01:13:27,760 --> 01:13:46,350
these depictions?
I saw you come off mute a big A.
1040
01:13:46,350 --> 01:13:51,390
Big one is it's idolatry,
literally cosmic humanist type
1041
01:13:51,670 --> 01:13:56,710
make thinking.
You know, believing that humans
1042
01:13:56,710 --> 01:13:59,230
have transcended and become God
gods.
1043
01:14:00,390 --> 01:14:04,470
That's a big one.
Anybody else?
1044
01:14:05,160 --> 01:14:06,840
Yeah, you look at the whole
Hitler thing.
1045
01:14:06,840 --> 01:14:10,360
It's like, you know, I love, I
love Germany is more what he's
1046
01:14:10,360 --> 01:14:12,560
saying.
He loves Deutschland.
1047
01:14:14,760 --> 01:14:19,120
And one of the big sayings that
they had in their their slogans
1048
01:14:19,120 --> 01:14:25,000
was, you know, God got mittens,
which is God's with us.
1049
01:14:25,480 --> 01:14:29,360
And, you know, here we see
Trump, you know, he is being,
1050
01:14:29,840 --> 01:14:33,360
you know, supported by, I guess
God or Jesus.
1051
01:14:33,360 --> 01:14:35,200
I can't see it but close enough
here.
1052
01:14:36,240 --> 01:14:39,440
But I've seen that, you know,
the Halos on him and some other
1053
01:14:39,440 --> 01:14:43,320
depictions online as well, that
he is, you know, being led.
1054
01:14:43,680 --> 01:14:48,240
And yeah, I think there's times
when our prayers absolutely have
1055
01:14:48,240 --> 01:14:53,880
an impact on our our leaders.
And yet I think there's a a big
1056
01:14:53,880 --> 01:15:01,040
danger in that of looking to
them as because, you know, like
1057
01:15:01,040 --> 01:15:04,920
Taylor saying, you know, we're
giving them kind of idolatry
1058
01:15:05,200 --> 01:15:07,520
that they are going to fix
everything and then giving them
1059
01:15:07,520 --> 01:15:11,040
a pass because we voted for
their part of our party.
1060
01:15:11,200 --> 01:15:13,440
If they're part of our party,
then we give them a pass for
1061
01:15:13,440 --> 01:15:15,400
almost anything they do in the
other guys party.
1062
01:15:15,680 --> 01:15:18,440
They're all bad, even if they're
doing the very same things.
1063
01:15:18,680 --> 01:15:21,720
That's what I keep seeing over
and over online.
1064
01:15:21,720 --> 01:15:28,360
It's like that to me is insane.
It's like if these guys are
1065
01:15:28,520 --> 01:15:31,960
doing the very same things that
the other party that your party
1066
01:15:31,960 --> 01:15:37,240
has done, and then you're mad
that the other party's person
1067
01:15:37,240 --> 01:15:40,520
that is in office now is doing
the very same thing.
1068
01:15:40,800 --> 01:15:42,960
That's crazy.
That's so hypocritical.
1069
01:15:42,960 --> 01:15:46,880
It's so double standard.
And, and unfortunately, we
1070
01:15:46,880 --> 01:15:54,320
humans often cannot look in the
mirror and see this double
1071
01:15:54,320 --> 01:15:56,880
standard that we have,
especially politically with
1072
01:15:56,880 --> 01:15:59,760
these guys.
And you know, I, I like a lot of
1073
01:15:59,760 --> 01:16:02,840
things that each of these
individuals have done.
1074
01:16:02,840 --> 01:16:05,160
They have done some good for the
German people.
1075
01:16:05,400 --> 01:16:08,320
Everybody was put to work in
Germany for the first time.
1076
01:16:08,560 --> 01:16:11,600
They were all struggling during
the Treaty of Versailles.
1077
01:16:11,960 --> 01:16:14,920
The, the communities were very
depressed and struggling.
1078
01:16:14,920 --> 01:16:18,960
And here you go, you know this,
you know, Hitler goes in and
1079
01:16:18,960 --> 01:16:21,800
gives them all work and now that
they're all starting to do well,
1080
01:16:21,800 --> 01:16:24,560
and if you have children, you
know, you can pay off your
1081
01:16:24,560 --> 01:16:26,920
house.
You have 4 kids, your house is
1082
01:16:26,920 --> 01:16:28,840
paid for.
The German government will pay
1083
01:16:28,840 --> 01:16:30,920
for your house.
I mean, those are things that
1084
01:16:30,920 --> 01:16:35,680
everyone who is a struggling
poor person would feel like now
1085
01:16:35,680 --> 01:16:38,320
they're making a contribution.
And, you know, so that of
1086
01:16:38,320 --> 01:16:41,960
course, on some of his powerful
messages, just like Obama.
1087
01:16:42,160 --> 01:16:46,560
Obama, great speaker, really
kind of connected with his
1088
01:16:46,560 --> 01:16:48,320
audience.
One of my roommates was a
1089
01:16:48,320 --> 01:16:51,960
teacher.
He went out to DC and he was so
1090
01:16:51,960 --> 01:16:56,400
welcoming and warm to him.
And you know, and Trump, not
1091
01:16:56,400 --> 01:16:58,880
that I have too many connections
with him, but I've read articles
1092
01:16:58,880 --> 01:17:02,320
about his children and his
children inspire me and some of
1093
01:17:02,320 --> 01:17:05,760
the things that he says.
And yet each of these guys has
1094
01:17:05,760 --> 01:17:10,840
done so many naughty things when
it comes to politics as well in
1095
01:17:10,880 --> 01:17:13,400
in some way that doesn't follow
the constitution or the
1096
01:17:13,400 --> 01:17:15,880
principles of creating
prosperity for everyone.
1097
01:17:15,880 --> 01:17:17,600
And you know, those kind of
things.
1098
01:17:18,000 --> 01:17:22,840
Yet it does take away from our
relationship with our Father in
1099
01:17:22,840 --> 01:17:25,520
heaven if if these are the guys
that we look to to fix
1100
01:17:25,520 --> 01:17:30,400
everything. 100% Justin, I see
your hand up.
1101
01:17:31,760 --> 01:17:34,160
Yeah, I really like what Corey
was saying there.
1102
01:17:34,240 --> 01:17:37,240
And it kind of Harkins back to
that first thing we you shared
1103
01:17:37,240 --> 01:17:41,240
about Winston Churchill, right?
There is good and bad in all of
1104
01:17:41,240 --> 01:17:43,320
these.
None of these people are Jesus.
1105
01:17:44,880 --> 01:17:48,280
None of these people are Jesus.
And they they can all do good
1106
01:17:48,280 --> 01:17:50,800
things, but they're all
inevitably going to do bad
1107
01:17:50,800 --> 01:17:54,000
things as well.
And what the problem here is
1108
01:17:54,000 --> 01:17:58,200
what I see happening is all of
these are depiction of what in
1109
01:17:58,200 --> 01:18:01,840
Asia we call the mandate of
heaven, but in Europe was the
1110
01:18:01,840 --> 01:18:10,960
divine right of kings.
And this idea is that monarchy
1111
01:18:11,280 --> 01:18:16,280
or basically authoritarian
government being justified on
1112
01:18:16,280 --> 01:18:22,400
religious grounds.
And now there is a true
1113
01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:25,600
principle that we should pray
for our leaders.
1114
01:18:25,600 --> 01:18:29,600
We should hope that Jesus has
his arms on Trump's shoulders.
1115
01:18:29,600 --> 01:18:33,120
We should hope that Obama's
being guided by the Holy Spirit,
1116
01:18:36,280 --> 01:18:41,000
but to promote it like this.
This is propaganda and that and
1117
01:18:41,000 --> 01:18:47,680
that and that's it suggests this
idea of these are God's chosen
1118
01:18:47,920 --> 01:18:52,800
rulers over us and and it leads
to monarchy.
1119
01:18:53,160 --> 01:18:57,000
Exactly what in the in this
chapter that that Benjamin
1120
01:18:57,000 --> 01:19:01,760
Franklin is, is railing so hard
against having America become
1121
01:19:01,760 --> 01:19:07,040
and we we do it to ourselves.
Franklin was absolutely right.
1122
01:19:07,040 --> 01:19:10,840
There's a natural inclination.
We'd rather have one guy in
1123
01:19:10,840 --> 01:19:15,240
charge who has this mandate of
heaven or has this divine right
1124
01:19:15,240 --> 01:19:18,160
of king so we don't have to take
that responsibility.
1125
01:19:19,360 --> 01:19:22,120
It's a natural human
inclination, but it's something
1126
01:19:22,120 --> 01:19:28,400
that has to be resisted.
Absolutely good stuff.
1127
01:19:28,400 --> 01:19:31,840
The other thing I'm going to say
Corey brought this up that that
1128
01:19:31,840 --> 01:19:37,160
that one of the slogans for for,
you know, the Third Reich and,
1129
01:19:37,160 --> 01:19:41,840
and, and the Nazis was that God
was with them.
1130
01:19:44,040 --> 01:19:48,360
And I want to point out a few
two different times in American
1131
01:19:48,360 --> 01:19:53,440
history and just compare and
contrast.
1132
01:19:55,000 --> 01:20:00,280
So if we look at the founders
right when when they start
1133
01:20:00,280 --> 01:20:07,000
talking about God and they start
invoking God into what it is
1134
01:20:07,000 --> 01:20:12,840
they're doing against England,
they say let us have reliance on
1135
01:20:12,840 --> 01:20:15,000
the protection of divine
Providence.
1136
01:20:16,240 --> 01:20:20,840
Now, if you start doing a dive
on that phrase and you start
1137
01:20:20,840 --> 01:20:23,480
looking for context around that
phrase.
1138
01:20:25,040 --> 01:20:30,120
It's very much about this idea
that, OK, if we're going to do
1139
01:20:30,120 --> 01:20:33,200
this, if we're going to go to
war with the biggest, baddest
1140
01:20:33,200 --> 01:20:39,600
guy on the block, we better make
sure that, a, this is a just
1141
01:20:39,600 --> 01:20:43,720
cause.
And then two, we need to do
1142
01:20:43,800 --> 01:20:49,920
everything we can to be on God's
side, that we do everything we
1143
01:20:49,920 --> 01:20:57,120
can to align with him.
So divine the, the reliance on
1144
01:20:57,120 --> 01:21:00,440
the protection of divine
Providence is, is kind of equal
1145
01:21:00,440 --> 01:21:03,680
to trying to be on God's side of
things.
1146
01:21:04,760 --> 01:21:11,360
Now when we get to Andrew
Jackson, it's no longer about
1147
01:21:11,720 --> 01:21:14,520
reliance on the protection of
divine Providence.
1148
01:21:14,600 --> 01:21:19,160
It's manifest destiny.
And if we start looking at what
1149
01:21:19,160 --> 01:21:24,280
Manifest Destiny is, it takes
what the founders were doing and
1150
01:21:24,280 --> 01:21:26,560
it inverts it, it flips it
upside down.
1151
01:21:26,920 --> 01:21:31,560
So no longer is it about we're
on God's side now.
1152
01:21:31,560 --> 01:21:35,640
It's about God is on our side.
God is with us.
1153
01:21:36,320 --> 01:21:38,880
Now.
When you start out a campaign, a
1154
01:21:38,880 --> 01:21:42,360
military campaign, westward
expansion, whatever.
1155
01:21:42,360 --> 01:21:46,840
And look, I want to say this,
I'm not dissing westward
1156
01:21:46,840 --> 01:21:48,600
expansion.
That had to happen.
1157
01:21:48,600 --> 01:21:52,400
That was a good thing.
But I think we'd be remiss to
1158
01:21:52,400 --> 01:21:57,040
say that there wasn't abuses
under Jacksonian America during
1159
01:21:57,040 --> 01:22:01,880
that westward expansion.
And when you say God is on my
1160
01:22:01,880 --> 01:22:06,960
side, well, now you have a blank
check to commit all sorts of
1161
01:22:06,960 --> 01:22:12,440
atrocities on different people
because you can do no wrong
1162
01:22:13,200 --> 01:22:17,160
because God is on your side.
And to Justin's point, that is a
1163
01:22:17,160 --> 01:22:21,080
direct correlation.
Correlation back to the divine
1164
01:22:21,080 --> 01:22:25,480
right of kings.
And we should all be a little
1165
01:22:25,880 --> 01:22:30,840
cognizant and careful as we
brush up against propaganda
1166
01:22:31,200 --> 01:22:33,720
because it's not going anywhere.
It's here.
1167
01:22:34,640 --> 01:22:36,560
But we just need to be cognizant
of it.
1168
01:22:36,560 --> 01:22:40,000
And we need to be cognizant of
how it makes us feel more than
1169
01:22:40,000 --> 01:22:43,960
what it makes us think even,
because that feeling will carry
1170
01:22:43,960 --> 01:22:48,800
forward into how we tend to view
that candidate.
1171
01:22:50,040 --> 01:22:53,240
Does anyone else have anything
they want to add to this part
1172
01:22:53,240 --> 01:23:06,260
here?
OK, so I would sum this all up
1173
01:23:06,260 --> 01:23:08,940
by stop looking for a political
savior.
1174
01:23:10,020 --> 01:23:14,540
Stop looking for to to to
worship a leader.
1175
01:23:14,540 --> 01:23:18,780
It is idolatry modern day.
And just because it's not a
1176
01:23:18,780 --> 01:23:22,520
carved statue sitting on your
shelf somewhere, it's still
1177
01:23:22,520 --> 01:23:24,520
absolutely is a form of
idolatry.
1178
01:23:25,400 --> 01:23:32,560
Ultimately, in America, it's our
responsibility to make sure that
1179
01:23:32,560 --> 01:23:37,040
we are doing everything within
our power to 1st elect good
1180
01:23:37,160 --> 01:23:41,320
moral leaders and then two, hold
them accountable.
1181
01:23:41,320 --> 01:23:45,440
Taylor mentioned that kind of
earlier on in in this section
1182
01:23:45,440 --> 01:23:49,800
here, that we need to hold their
feet to the fire when they screw
1183
01:23:49,800 --> 01:23:54,080
up.
You can still rally behind a guy
1184
01:23:54,880 --> 01:23:58,080
if he's made an honest mistake,
if he's willing to correct that
1185
01:23:58,080 --> 01:24:00,440
mistake.
But if he's not willing to
1186
01:24:00,440 --> 01:24:05,920
listen, It's incumbent upon us
to exercise the rights that we
1187
01:24:05,920 --> 01:24:10,400
have been granted to have a
bloodless coup every two to four
1188
01:24:10,400 --> 01:24:13,480
years and get rid of bad
leadership and bring in new
1189
01:24:13,480 --> 01:24:17,720
leadership.
And if we can do that, we can
1190
01:24:17,720 --> 01:24:20,920
still stem the tide.
But we have to be extremely
1191
01:24:20,920 --> 01:24:23,680
active in in those sorts of
things.
1192
01:24:25,920 --> 01:24:29,240
All right, well, we're already
at 8:30 and we didn't go nearly
1193
01:24:29,240 --> 01:24:35,880
as far as I was hoping.
And so next week we're going to
1194
01:24:35,880 --> 01:24:40,520
pick up on the role of religion,
and we'll go through that.
1195
01:24:40,520 --> 01:24:42,200
And that's going to be another
meaty 1.
1196
01:24:42,200 --> 01:24:45,720
So this is going to put us a bit
behind, but I know we'll make it
1197
01:24:45,720 --> 01:24:49,880
up in some other spots and we'll
get back on track because not
1198
01:24:49,880 --> 01:24:52,200
all of these sections were as
media as this one.
1199
01:24:52,680 --> 01:24:56,000
So I think we'll end it right
there for tonight.
1200
01:24:56,480 --> 01:24:59,240
Does anybody have anything else
they want to bring up here
1201
01:24:59,240 --> 01:25:01,160
before we wrap this up for the
evening?
1202
01:25:08,350 --> 01:25:14,350
All right, good enough.
Tim, could you give us a closing
1203
01:25:15,150 --> 01:25:17,430
prayer real quick?
Yeah, you bet.
1204
01:25:21,080 --> 01:25:23,200
Father in Heaven, we bow our
heads before you at this time
1205
01:25:23,200 --> 01:25:26,240
and humble gratitude at the
opportunity at having met here
1206
01:25:26,240 --> 01:25:29,760
this evening and discussed the
foundation of this government.
1207
01:25:30,640 --> 01:25:33,360
And we thank you for your spirit
having been here with us.
1208
01:25:33,360 --> 01:25:36,200
And we ask that we may absorb
and incorporate some of the
1209
01:25:36,200 --> 01:25:38,480
things that we've learned into
our lives and into our families
1210
01:25:38,480 --> 01:25:41,400
and communities.
We ask that you'll continue to
1211
01:25:41,400 --> 01:25:44,680
guide us and steer us in the
direction that you would have us
1212
01:25:44,680 --> 01:25:49,560
go.
Father, we thank you for all of
1213
01:25:49,560 --> 01:25:51,680
our many blessings and for all
of the opportunities that you
1214
01:25:51,680 --> 01:25:53,800
give us.
And we say, and we ask these
1215
01:25:53,800 --> 01:25:55,680
things humbly, in the name of
Jesus Christ, Amen.
1216
01:25:56,960 --> 01:26:00,360
Amen.
Thanks, Tim for for the prayer
1217
01:26:00,360 --> 01:26:02,200
and thanks everybody for
participating.
1218
01:26:02,200 --> 01:26:05,400
You, you, you make this thing go
and I really do appreciate you
1219
01:26:05,400 --> 01:26:06,880
and I'm looking forward to next
week.
1220
01:26:08,200 --> 01:26:09,560
Thank you, Dave.
Have a good night everybody.
1221
01:26:10,520 --> 01:26:10,840
See ya.