I received this in an email from a friend today. I'm sure it's making the rounds, so it may be nothing new to folks. But I thought it was worth posting.
Harry Truman
When President Truman retired from office in 1952, his income was substantially a U. S. Army pension, $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an allowance and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.
When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating,
"You don't want me. You want the office of the president, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."
On May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Congressional Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."
Today, many in Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now
clearly for sale.
Was good old Harry Truman correct when he observed,
" My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference anymore. I, for one, believe the piano player to be much more honorable than many current politicians."
Too bad we can't come up with someone like this today.
Why, indeed? But I have to ask... Considering the state of our media today, the "Gotcha!" attitude that pervades our political and public life, would a good, simple man like Truman even bother to consider pursuing a public life. Personally, I think he would have taken that whore house job. The other whore house, I mean.
Posts
7 comments:
Wouldn't it be refreshing to find such a candidate for president now ??
Sadly, it ain't gonna ever happen, TMag. I'm afraid we are too far into the era of media hype and the politics of personal destruction. Just look at Obama: a pol with virtually nothing to him but hype (and HOPE, of course!). No resume, no accomplishments, nothing but media buzz and ann ersatz pop-star persona.
No, I'm afraid that men like Truman are gone from the national stage forever.
That would have been a Demo to vote for....alas
The man, simply stated, had class.
Tmagnum62, you mean like Ron Paul?
I never liked Truman. Always felt like he should have stuck to selling suits. But, he was an honest man. No doubt of that.
I really liked this post!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I think I briefly crossed paths with Coyote Run at a party after Grandfather MTN Games. I love meeting people like that... That's what makes life all the more spicy :-)
Abby
Post a Comment