Thomas Jefferson Quote

"If the people let government decide
what foods they eat and what medicines they take,
their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state
as are the souls of those who live under tyranny."

by:	Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President
Source:	Paraphrased from Notes on Viriginia, Query XVII see: http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Thomas.Jefferson.Quote.F3B9
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Categories:	Drugs, Government, Health, Prohibition, Tyranny
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When we allowed our government to start medicaid and medicare, we are giving way for them to tell us how to stay healthy. Consider that they are into school breakfast and lunch programs and telling the schools what food to serve.  -- cal, lewisville, tx      1
Yep.  -- Mike, Norwalk
Yes cal and let's not forget the FDA.  -- Anon      2
And lets not forget CODEX. The legislation through which the Pharma gang wants to control all herbal and naturopathic medicine as well. They won't be happy until they are able to give or take everything you need. There's no money in healthy people and there's no money in dead people...so they want us all to be ill for our entire existence. And they get away with it because they are one of the biggest lobby's in Congress. Great system!  -- J Carlton, Calgary      4
J Carlton hit the nail on the head. There are busybodies all over the place telling you what you must and must not eat. Don't you dare eat anything with trans-fat in it and stay away from that awful movie popcorn or surely you will die. Stop eating anything that tastes good and you won't live any longer but it will seem a lot longer.  -- jim k, austin      2
Shallow and misleading. I bet good Tom decided what food his slaves ate and I bet he and his household were concerned and assisted with medicine and advise when his slaves were sick. So what is ones definition of government? Public health and things like quarantine are a necessary part of medical practice. We have a very free and diverse diet available to us, I do not see that it is controlled by any one authoirty or government. Because "experts" from all sides wish to promote their ideas of diet and medicine does not mean that one must listen to them. Some improvements of course could and should be made like lower costs like our Canadian and Mexican brethren are able to achieve.  -- Waffler, Smith      1 3
It is not government whom we must fear in these matters, but big business!  -- Anonymous, Reston, VA, US
Well done Waffler, keep the rabble in their place. Though the quote does deserve some credit. I don't think he realized how corrupt government and corporations would become - working together under the guise of our well-being. Many of you have no idea on what you are saying - many governments that already have universal healthcare (care that costs much, much, less that what we provide). The care in America is no more or no less effective that it is in those countries with Universal health care. Though in a recent medical report it showed America has a very bad record when it comes to mortality rates. Please Editor, lets enthuse some intelligent arguments on the subject. The problem with America is that greed and corporate profit far out ways any good intention the bloggers on this site may have. In the meantime those that really do need care because of a myriad of reasons are denied because you Libertarians hate government – give me a break. Until you become more compassionate and understanding of ethics and morality I will not give a damm about your manifesto. Until I see you care for those in need, those who do not have the resources to pay for a roof over their head, an operation, food in the fridge, daycare, and a whole list of other things us rich boys take for granted. The more I read the comments on this blog the more I am disappointed with the human race. We have a long way to go and it seems at times to get further, and further away. I am the eternal optimist so I live in hope that one day the human race (us Apes) will see the light. Capitalism obvious doesn’t work – it has brought the world to its knees, it has damaged our planet to a point it may never recover, it has caused through religious wars and despotism misery beyond imagination. The human race may well be the cause of our own demise. And then after a few thousand years Earth will have forgotten us and hopefully the world will repair itself ready I hope for a more enlightened species. Love you guys – lets all try and help others and this planet. Think when you wake in the morning how fortunate you are and how you can help bring a smile to another’s face. Some will say ‘I’m not going to support the those lazy reprobates or pay for care that they or the community or charity should provide and in some instances you are probably right – that is not the question; the question should be what is honorable and ethical, and do I deny a persons welfare simply because it doesn’t agree with my philosophy or with my agenda. Have a great week, Robert  -- RBESRQ      2
RBESRQ. I get the feeling you don't understand much about Libertarianism. You're statement that Libertarians hate government is innaccurate. We disagree with governmental largesse. We disagree with governmental encroachment into every aspect of our lives. You would, if you checked find that Libertarians are basically Constitutionalists. What that means is "limited"government who's tasks are basic to the defense and justice systems and in place to protect rights, not grant them. If you want to see compassionate medicare, I welcome you to come stand in a line up for socialized "government" medicare here in Canada. You'll probably die while waiting for an MRI.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      3
Thank you J. Carlton for the clearest thinking I've heard in a long time. While visiting your wonderful country several years ago, I asked about the universal care system and someone told me " if I had a hangnail, i get it treated here but if I needed triple bypass, i'll go to the states and have it done" That said it all to me. rkg96 N.Y.  -- rkg96, USA      1
If you want to see what government run health care looks like, just visit a V.A. hospital.  -- Bryan Morton, Stuart, FL      2
The current health debate is about the 50 million who pay no insurance yet go to the emergency room when they are shot or sick and get services for free. The insurance industry won't take these people. Massacusetts has a mandatory health insurance law just like virtually every state has a mandatory car insurance law or like we often pay for uninsured motorist coverage. The health care debate is primarily about making the uninsured by some insurance even if it has to be "government" insurance. Check it out and get on board, the train is leaving the station. Again we have a wide diverse source of info about health in this country, the government does not control it or tell us what to eat or take.  -- Waffler, Smith      1
-- Elisabeth, Astoria, NY
Still so confused why Waffler is on this listserve, there must be some website that would send him/her Karl Marx quotes! Re: the quote, what foresight (or is it forsight, forgive me I'm a product of the government run monopoly we call an education system!).  -- Anonymous      1
Waffler keep onthis site someone must light their flames of comapssion. Take no heed in the remarks of those who think they understand.  -- RBESRQ
I can't wait for a Libertarian government one that has no compassion accept for the survival of the fittest -- I wonder how long that would last. I'm not saying the current system is perfect -- it needs intelligent reform not unintelligent alternatives. Oh yes, MRI's, well I suppose if you have 20 machines in Beverly Hills you could get an MRI same day. Do you realize the profit hospitals make on MRI's, no you don't (I was in the healthcare industry for a while it stinks - there are some great doctors - one I know works an urgent care clinic in LA and he is an Angel). Why do you think when you have insurance and you visit the ER you get every test under the sun - grow up guys, you are just fueling the greed that exists in America - you tell them you don't have insurance and bang goes those MRI's and CT's and any other expensive procedure. P.S. the market is heading for an all time collapse so get ready for it. We may need another war to survive.  -- RBESRQ      1
Medical insurance is a personal obligation to oneself and family. It is not for the government to decide that insurance should be mandated and that ll taxpeyers shall share in the expense of caring for the sick, lame and lazy. In my experiences (career) of the 46 million not covered with a medical plan, the far greater majority of those opt voluntarily NOT to acquire insurance. genrally, because it eats into their available funds for things such a 50" plasm tv's, new car, drugs, eating out at Big Mac everynight, movies, $250.00 tennisd shoes, and a multitude of uncessary pruchases. These folks make a concious decision to pass up on medical insurance. Personal obligations should remain personal - not for the government to step in an tax those of us who exercise our repsonsibilites with sound choices placing our families in the forefront of our decision making process. There are already programs in place for those who are physically and/or mentally unable to work and earn the necesssary funds for medical insurance. That is the ONLY moral obligation we should feel when it comes to providing for those without. And, then, it should be at the local level where the people have a better grasp on their politicians and the systems supposedly designed to hlp those truly in need yet who contribute to the system through their own labors. Those who believe Canada and England have such outstanding successful medical coverage programs haven't personally had to suffer through te realty of their lack of performance or care for the people. Why do you think that most folks in Canada come to the US for treatment. It's not available in Canaa!. Even the government of England has, over the past several years, carped over the failure of their own medical program. Wake up folks - We all carry the respoinsibility to provide for ourselves. Keep the government out of our lives and force them to perform their priomary responibilites as clearly defined in the US Constitution. aybe we'll een have some money left over if that miracle would aver manifest itself! RWS-NC  -- Robert, Wallace      1
"I can't wait for a Libertarian government one that has no compassion accept for the survival of the fittest " ~ Again wrong. This is nothing more than the spewing of statist propoganda. It is not a governments job to be compassionate. And why do you assume that "people" have no compassion? That is exactly what the Hillary's of the world would have you believe in order to further socialism and government control. Wrong wrong wrong....RBESRQ, I really wish you would do some homework on the subject rather than brandishing your assumptions about.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      2
I see no compassion in your comments that is my resource, re; this blog anyway.  -- RBESRQ
Just look at Big Pharma and the FDA, not to mention the 'war on drugs.' A nationalized health care plan written by the pharmaceutical and insurance corporations will guarantee the slow deaths of millions timed just right until you are dead broke, then just dead. I do not need prescription medication but with nationalist health care I can be forced to take it. Leave my health and body alone!!  -- E Archer, NYC      2
RBESRQ and Waffler are the Socialist sirens who would sing any weary captain and his sailors to their graves. Have they ever read anything of substance? Mises' writings on the Socialist calculation fallacy? Hayek on the "pretense of knowledge"? Locke? Blackstone? Destutt de Tracy? Spooner? Bastiat? Say? Rothbard? I'll bet they've read Marx, and lots of it! Compassion? If compassion is stealing the property of the unwilling to give to the undeserved, then call me the most un-compassionate monster alive! I have a suggestion for the comrades: grow up, realize that there is such a thing as individual responsibility, and educate yourselves on the topics of which you speak prior to demeaning the espousers of those views. Hundreds, if not thousands of years of human history provide us with the knowledge that governments, or rather tyrannies, can not long provide for their citizenry before corruption and all the other demons of collectivism destroy the civilization. If you feel so strongly about providing for the "under-privileged", create a charitable organization with your OWN FUNDS and provide for your innocent victims.  -- Christopher, NJ      3
Funny thing, i copied this quote and tried a search on the UVA and Monticello websites and came up with nothing. Shame on you for attributing this quote to Jefferson. How bout an actual quote from Jefferson "Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia, 1782.  -- Beherrel Hunt, Baltimore
I found the quote, n.p. Try Excite_com, next time... http://www.basicquotations.com/index.php?quote=36277, or you can close your eyes and hit the DELETE button.  -- sdenne, SACRAMENTO
Thanks, Beherrel and sdenne. It turns out that this quote is a paraphrase from Jefferson's Notes on Virginia, Query XVII: "Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now." Here is a link to the actual quote. Thanks for helping us keep this database accurate!  -- Editor, Liberty Quotes
-- Anonymous
I like the quote, and for those liberals who just don't get it, keep reading eventually these smart quotes might contaminate your mind with common-sense.  -- Ms.Judicious, Sacramento
Keep this quote in mind when hearing the slanderous anti-marijuana propaganda .  -- Anonymous, Anonymous
-- Anonymous
Obamacare if you think about it is perfect for liberals and conservatives. Think about it, the liberals get their socialized medicine and welfare. The conservatives have their big pharma. making lots of money from the corporate welfare.  -- Anonymous      1
This belong to the legitimate foundations of human freedom, and this should be a law to obey, like Newton's Laws of Physics.  -- Noel, Miami      1
"I see no compassion in your comments that is my resource, re; this blog anyway. -- RBESRQ" Oh I'm sorry...was I supposed to wrap reality and the nature of human existence into a hug for you? People left alone and given an opportunity will almost always do the right thing. I support a whole lot of charitable agencies that are "direct" charity. I would do more if I wasn't being bled dry by the tax (extortion) system of steal and waste. Liberals and Progressive Socialists can't see that because their point of view is a reflection of their own existence... Controlling, parasitic, pointless....Pathetic.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      2
Government IS Business is the reality. When the Laws are up for sale to favor the few at the expense of the many, you do not have free market Capitalism, you have an Oligarchy.  -- Jim, Klamath Ca.      2
goverment gives away some to keep people dumb to the fact when goverment owns it all ,there will be none..unless they bow to muslims ,the army of satan  -- Janet, Moorefield
Janet from Moorefield go throw yourself off of a cliff. :]  -- Ashley
he didnt say this...this quote was paraphrased and given a new context...conservatives have simply resorting to making things up to try to win arguments...pathetic  -- geo, tolland
RBESRQ, your definitions, understandings and examples which you attribute to compassion more accurately befit the term and concept "religion". The secular and de jure constitutional States united, from inception, was to be a government at law, leaving religious attributes such as compassion to the individual sovereign. You have proudly declared that you are a homosexual atheist (complete with demanding the religious sacrament of marriage be uniquely controlled by your church - what now passes as government - a true theocracy) With religion uniquely administered by sovereign individuals outside that body of representatives, organized as secular government, the U.S. became the wealthiest, healthiest, most charitable, and powerful nation ever known to history. Enter in your religious cabal / theocracy, complete with its compelled compliance, victimless crimes, license, etc. canons and that which was once a beacon on the hill, projecting light, hope and prosperity, now is decaying into poverty, big farma side effects, selfishness and a beggar nation of slaves. AND BECAUSE the people have not only let, but embraced the occupying statist theocracy infesting this land (government) decide what foods they eat (by way of extremely terse example Obama's government lunches) and what medicines they take, their souls will soon be in as sorry a state as their bodies which exist at a state of tyranny. RBESRQ, you defend your religion as though it is a good thing (an for you personally - good on you). I respect your faith and right to be, believe and do that. The question I have, why is it right that I am forced to live your religion and, that is better than my religion being forced on you? More over, why is either of those scenarios better than the historically proven best system, which is, a representative republic at law - while - you live your religion and I live mine?  -- Mike, Norwalk      1
As soon as big business got between the patient and the doctor, prices sored. Eliminate the middle man and all his cuff money. The secular socialist, church of Shoma doctrines of heresy. Always leads to the formation of sects , Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, and seditions. They will not submit themselves to the power of the truth. Joseph McCarthy was right all along !  -- Ron w13, Or      2
It is not up to social engineers such as Waffler and Michelle Obama to control and dictate the decisions and choices of personal responsibility. That choice is a singularly an unalienable right of the individual ... whether or not their choices are right or wrong in another individual's eyes. As long as an individual makes a personal choice that does not harm another person or their property that person should be left alone from government interference or dictates.  -- Mary - MI      2
Seems to me everyone thinks the choices WE as a nation only have two choices to solve this problem. Might I suggest a different way of looking at the electoral process and an insight in the combining of Socialism with Capitalism. First My idea of the terminology is something I have been using on my timeline, postings and replies. The terminology associated with the electoral process I Am suggesting others begin to enlist these words when WE the People discuss the political process. The phrases or words to change are as follows: Instead of the term campaigning process: Interviewing for the job of.... Instead of the term electorate: EMPLOYERS & JOB CREATORS Instead of the term election day : HIRING/FIRING DAY Instead of the term elected official: employee Instead of the term voting: voicing OUR opinion Instead of the term ballot: List of possible employees Instead of the term president: The Manager of OUR employees in Washington D.C. Instead of the term Democrats/Republican: repubocrat Instead of the term corporations/lobbyists: corpoliticals  -- Jerome, Anderson      1
Oops silly me I forgot about the combination of social constructs. The Socialism/Capitalism scheme came to me when in the days of early modern insanity, 20s 30s depression, in this country watching those with the most having the greatest access to OUR employees, they too paid the least amount in taxes, manipulation of the DOW, commodities, etc. Sad to say WE watched it occur in the 2000s thru to today. The question is why haven't WE put a stop to this insanity? I don't want to get to far off of the subject but DAMN people quityourbitchin, get up register others to voice their opinions and then show up on the HIRING/FIRING DAY November 8, 2016 to voice your opinions as to who is going to have a job come November 9, 2016. It is up to WE the People in which direction this nation will go. So as I was saying the capitalist system runs amok and becomes untenable. The same would happen with the socialist system left to its own demise. Giving too much to WE the People is not a good thing either. However it is what the Ocrats do. While the Repubs take too much from us. Have those with a greater opportunity give more as it won't affect them as much as it would someone who has extremely less. WE can then spread it around and give a hand up. I don't want to carry anyone. However I do believe it is every human's responsibility to at least help someone up. No matter how many times a person needs a hand up. Some take longer than others not because they are weaker or less than. No it takes longer because they are more damaged than most. Peace and be well. Approved by the Committee to HIRE Jerome Venus for 2nd District Supervisor Shasta County, CA  -- Jerome, Anderson
Waffler, you reveal yourself when you say, "I bet good Tom decided what food his slaves ate and I bet he and his household were concerned and assisted with medicine and advise when his slaves were sick." Well, if he was a considerate slave owner, I suppose good Tom did take good care of his slaves. Here's the thing, Waffler, Tom didn't use his office as President to take care of EVERYONE else, too. The People are not the slaves of the President, Waffler. And that is the very point being made, Americans are being conned out of their freedom and accountability for PROMISES of being taken care of and kept 'safe.' Waffler isn't against slavery, he is just for improving the conditions and expanding the plantation to include every one.  -- E Archer, NYC      2
actually not true, medicare/medicaid was in response to what people wanted and voted for  -- Sam, Sydney      2
Right on, Christopher!  It is not for a lack of trying — quotes from Mises, Hayek, Locke, Blackstone, Spooner, Bastiat, et al, do all have comments from Waffler and RBE — the same old song.  Their confusion stems from the idea that the government is supposed to be a charity — I suppose because they do not believe that people are charitable on their own.  They insist that problems must be solved by government — not to address the causes of the problems.  Socialists need problems — that is why they try to make your responsibilities theirs.  If everyone is taking care of themselves and others, what do we need government bureaucrats for?  It is also interesting that these folks also bad-mouth Christianity at every turn.  They have no conception of the total output and goodwill of the nation's congregations!  The government could never and never does come close to that.  And all this push for universal health care is more akin to insisting that we all be treated as cattle being prepared for market.  Why are we copying communist rules for administration of a free people?  I do not want government health care — they are killers!  I will take care of my own health, and if I need help, I will find someone who isn't beholden to the sick-care industry.  -- E Archer, NYC      1

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