Trivia Question

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 11:07 am

"the first and only time a sitting American president led troops in the field"

Who was the president?

Post by **LarsMac** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:22 pm

George

Post by **spot** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:25 pm

That has to be Teddy Roosevelt, the chap who did his best to exterminate large mammals from the planet.

Post by **LarsMac** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:28 pm

spot;1362757 wrote: That has to be Teddy Roosevelt, the chap who did his best to exterminate large mammals from the planet.

That's good.

Not exactly correct, but good.

Post by **spot** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:34 pm

The question's all the harder in that there are so few Presidents who didn't have a war during their term of office that they could have taken the day off to attend.

Jimmy Carter, in a helicopter?

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:44 pm

Good Ole George Washington-------------http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_Rebellion

Funny how there are some comparisons of what is going on politically here in the U.S. right at this time.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:33 pm

Lon;1362762 wrote: Good Ole George Washington-------------http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_Rebellion

Funny how there are some comparisons of what is going on politically here in the U.S. right at this time.????

Post by **LarsMac** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:10 pm

Ahso!;1362770 wrote: ????

People not feeling properly represented for the level of taxes they pay, and the gummint trying to force them into line.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:29 pm

LarsMac;1362773 wrote: People not feeling properly represented for the level of taxes they pay, and the gummint trying to force them into line.No shiezt? Thanks, but seriously, I still don't get it. I just can't make that connection.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 4:23 pm

Ahso!;1362770 wrote: ????

The nation was heavily in debt after the Revolutionary War and needed to raise revenue (connection?). The imposition of the Whiskey Tax which caused the Rebellion was felt grossly unfair by many and felt that the New Government had no right to impose such taxes. There was still opposition to CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT and some were still thinking STATES RIGHTS and even COUNTY RIGHTS. Alexander Hamilton was the one that came up with the Whiskey Tax proposal. If you like history-----do a Google search on the WHISKEY REBELLION-----

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 4:57 pm

Okay, but what are the comparisons you mentioned earlier?

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 5:35 pm

Ahso!;1362779 wrote: Okay, but what are the comparisons you mentioned earlier?

I think we have a communication problem------------the only reference that I was trying to make is that with the "Whiskey Tax Rebellion" (in my initial post) and the U.S. current debt as well as the control that Central Government has in many aspects of our lives. If one reads about the "Whiskey Rebellion" they will see those comparisons.

I made a false assumption that posters would Google and read about the "Whiskey Rebellion"------------MY ERROR

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:53 am

James Madison was also up for leading troops against the british was he not?

What year did the american navy invade a ton in england, but were largely unsuccessful as the sailors went to the pub and got pissed instead of burning the place down?

Post by **spot** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 4:54 am

Plymouth 2008?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:03 am

Ah, now I see your point. You're comparing the attitudes, right?

Of course there's a huge difference IMV, and that is the general public is not taxed all that highly today. The current outcry is the unfairness of the percentage higher earning individuals and corporations pay in taxes, isn't it?

It's incredibly amusing just how easily and to what extent the anger in these people who don't actually have a dog in this fight have been led to believe they do. The manipulators must have a good laugh each morning before work begins. How they convinced people to show up at town hall meeting of the democrats with signs that read "don't touch my social security and Medicare" during the health care debate while all along the party looking to dismantle both has always been the republican party. Mush - Mush - Mush, dogs!

It seems, if we judge by the past 10 years, that the more taxes are reduced on higher earners and corporations the more we bleed jobs. There's little dispute of that fact, AFAICT. The jobs are gone and they're not coming back, period, and that sets the stage for the next bubble. Where will it be, get your money out and place your bets, which is exactly the attitude of corporate America, they've gone from being manufacturing and jobs based to mostly investing in the next scam or fiasco.

What's true is that America is indeed now a big amusement and circus getaway spectacle for the rest of the world to laugh at, we spend the majority of our waking hours attempting to make fools of one another.

Members of other societies have been kind enough to point these things out to us, but all we do is become offended when they do. It's so phucking funny to watch.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:04 am

gmc;1362795 wrote: James Madison was also up for leading troops against the british was he not?

What year did the american navy invade a ton in england, but were largely unsuccessful as the sailors went to the pub and got pissed instead of burning the place down?

Madison (the fourth President) was in office during the War of 1812 when the U.S. fought England, but he never lead troops.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:11 am

Lon;1362803 wrote: Madison (the fourth President) was in office during the War of 1812 when the U.S. fought England, but he never lead troops.
Lincoln came close. Didn't he go to the battlefield and direct troops occasionally?

Post by **spot** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:20 am

And Ronald Reagan played an Army Captain at Fort Pierce in an episode of Wagon Train after he became president, that might count. Or maybe it was a re-run...

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:04 pm

spot;1362796 wrote: Plymouth 2008?

Whitehaven April 22nd 1778.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:25 pm

gmc;1362812 wrote: Whitehaven April 22nd 1778.

Given the size and strength of the English Army & Navy this was a bold move by Captain John Paul Jones. It is sort of a early day raid like that of Colonel James Doolittle, April 18th. 1942, flying B-25's off the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet against the Japanese homeland. Neither raids did significant damage but had great psychological impact.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 3:38 am

I've always found the contrast between the raid on whitehaven and it's almost comic opera ending and the viciousness and hatred of later battles quite striking.

A Filey Story - The Battle of Flamborough Head - John Paul Jones

Was at flamborough head two weeks ago. The difference in scale is startling, one modern gunboat could take out a whole 18th century fleet of men of war without breaking in to a sweat - metaphorically speaking