Thomas Jefferson Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary,
too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious."

by:	Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President
Source:	Letter to William Ludlow, 1824
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Categories:	Economics, Freedom, Government, Liberty, President, Property, Taxation, Tax
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Reader comments about this quote:

Same as it ever was. -- E Archer, NYC 4
I figure if Reston can blame all America's problem on the "religious right" and their giving of America to "King George" I can blame the "parasites living on the labor of the industrious" to the atheistic left... it makes about as much sense... -- Logan, Memphis, TN 3
Yep!!! -- Mike, Norwalk 2
A truer statement was never made!! Reston is a communist, not an American his opinons are based on false fantasies and they have no merit. -- helorat, Milton 4
Hey--Reston hasn't weighed in on this one yet huh? I am surprised...Jefferson should be a hero of his...and he is right on the money here! (helorat, I luv ya man!) -- Michael, Houston 2
LOL, how typical, deny that anyone with an opinion different from your own to be a non-American... small minds... yup, Jefferson was at least partially right on this one... the fat slob business owner living on the work of his slaves... same as it ever was. Communist, hardly, unlike some, I just happen to truly care about other people who are less fortunate than myself... you should try it sometime. -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US 1 2
I think just about every American would give the shirt of their back for someone less fortunate, if it meant that it would actually help them (the whole, "teach a man to fish" concept)-- It is plain ignorance to simple history to willingly turn the practice of providing for the poor over to the government--ultimately it fails, while destroying liberty and freedom. I find it funny that the majority of leftists who claim compassion in wanting to help the poor justify their giving by having the government excise tax from them (and everyone else), while it is the majority of "radical religious rightists" who actually joins volunteer groups and goes out and actually DOES something about it. ..shrugs.. Just a different way of doing things, I guess; one would rather pay someone else to do it, while the other would rather do it themselves. Who truly has more compassion? The person who throws money, or the person who actually does something? -- Logan, Memphis, TN 4
Typical Reston...wanting more government with more parasites to live off the labor of those who actually work for a living. None of us owes others anything, but you are free to support as many welfare cases as you like. You are wrong to assume those of us with brains don't care about other people. I just don't believe everyone with their hand out needs or deserves a dollar. -- Joe, Rochester, MI 3
Reston, do you think for some reason you have a monoply on "truly caring?" Pretty self righteous isn't it? I would really like to see what do you do with your own money,and time, rather than what you would do with someone elses. Talk is cheap. How many jobs have you created and given to someone?--and worked 16-20 hours a day have you put in to make it happen?--only to watch someone like yourself claim 3/4 of it for some pet project they would never contribute to themselves. Fat slob business owner and slaves! Give me a break. And incidentially, FWIW: there are some basic principles that are indeed the foundation stones of America--free enterprise, capitalism, self reliance, bootstraps, giving a hand not a hand out, and the Protestant Work Ethic are some of them...so, maybe that does make you unAmerican huh? Face it sir! -- Rip VW, USA 1
For liberals it's easy to be "charitable" and assuage their guilt with someone else's money. Liberals always take the "easy" way out. They run when they should stand. They whine and complain when they should work, and they always find a way to blame someone else for their personal failures and consequences of their foolish choices. -- Ken, Allyn, WA 3
Right on Ken, and lets not forget the the liberal lunacy I love the most, which says "Oh, the reason the liberal program we instituted last is such a mess and doesn't work, is because it just didn't have enough liberalism in it..." Duh!! That's like an arsonist (grinning all the while) saying lets put more gasoline on the grass because the little bit we used before wasn't enough to water it...oh, just ignore the fire hazard, and that small puff of smoke. Yes Reston, I just called you and those who think like you frauds and arsonists of our society--but I don't mean that in a bad way you understand, or its certainly not a question of your patriotism. -- Anonymous, Good ol' USA 1
Wouldn't it be great if Pres. Obama took his governing cue from the Founding Fathers instead of Europe, or Karl Marx? Then the U.S. could get back on the right track. This quote of TJ's is just one more example of Founders' wisdom. -- Nancy, OH 3
And his parasites were no where near 47%. -- Bill, Houston 2
It's a real shame that Jefferson didn't have Reston around to advise him. Reston and Waffler are SO much smarter than Mr. Jefferson. -- jim k, Austin, Tx 1
As Thomas Paine expressed it: " Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built on the ruins of paradise." -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill 3
It is easy to see what we've become, Now to remember What we were. Free !! "When a man is paid for living and No man must pay for his sins." Kipling's way with words shows depth, generally not perceived. He speaks of the New World begun, freed from the whore of socialism across the pond. It did not take long for a voter base to build in opposition, to our Liberty, this through immigration and the democratic process. Till finally reaching strength enough in the north to wage war. It was a bloody war fought by Patriots of Liberty. Snowfake Socialist should beware, the Giant wakes up and your in its sights for correcting. Then you will meet the Back Bone of This Nation face to face. We will dance for life or we will dance for death, the choice in yours. Semper FI -- Ronw13, Oregon 1
That one of your 'founding fathers' would refer to other human beings as parasites is appalling and legitimises discrimination. For your information Nancy OH, the 'founding fathers' were much influenced by Europe and Europeans and well founded principles in documents such as the Magna Carta which is described as the corner stone of the American constitution. Your founding fathers were not original or even independent thinkers. -- Mick, Manchester 2

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