If you listen to the Gross Reality radio show, hosted by Steve Gross, then you know that the show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good economic times and in bad economic times. As the host, Steve brings in guest experts to discuss topics as they relate to businesses facing the challenges of the day. Often, Steve concludes the weekly show with a thought-provoking idea shared by Thomas Jefferson, one of the most influential Founding Fathers and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. In honor of President’s Day, we’ve summarized some of the ideals shared by Thomas Jefferson:
Thomas Jefferson: “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive. I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
Thomas Jefferson : “The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.”
Thomas Jefferson: “I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive. It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world”.
Thomas Jefferson: “We may consider each generation as a distinct nation, with a right, by the will of its majority, to bind themselves, but none to bind the succeeding generation, more than the inhabitants of another country.”
Thomas Jefferson: “Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.”
Thomas Jefferson: “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”
Thomas Jefferson : “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
Thomas Jefferson: “A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.”
Thomas Jefferson “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”