What Would George Washington Do?

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a. George Washington clearly had strong support for the role religion and morality played in the newly formed American government. On page thirteen of the packet in the Farewell Address, Washington says “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports.” He goes on arguing about how religious principles encourage protection, reputation, and life. Another quotation on page thirteen that supports this statement is “… where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice?” Washington continues on about how the nation’s morality cannot be maintained without religion, therefore because morality is crucial in popularly elected governments, religion is necessary in preserving the elected government of the United States. The quote supporting this can be found on page thirteen, “And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.” b. In the Farewell Address, Washington advises the members of Congress and the American people to be wary of foreign influence. This is because he believes that having long-term relations or rivalries with any nation would cloud the American government’s judgment when it came to its foreign policy. He claimed that any poor relations with a foreign nation could lead to an unnecessary war because the government would blow a little offense committed by the foreign nation out of proportion thus leading to war. The argument continues when he claims that the friendships with foreign countries would bind the United States into war and the United States could not gain anything from... ... middle of paper ... ...the United States is far from what Washington or any of the other founders wanted when they created the Constitution. I believe that Washington would be ashamed of what he would see with our current politics. We continually get too caught up in other countries business when we need to start focusing more on what is going on here. Also, we need to have our leaders stop thinking of themselves and do what is best for this country because I think that they are flushing the United States down the toilet. George Washington may have been able to see the worst in what could happen with certain things, but he was smart to be that way. Perhaps if we had followed what Washington had to say we would not have as many ties to other countries as we do, and maybe would not be drowning in national debt. I believe that we should have followed Washington’s warnings much more closely.

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