Rough Rider

I have been reading a biography of Theodore Roosevelt (Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris) and I must say that the author has convinced me that “Teddy” was a president that I would have disliked intensely had I been present during his time in history. He was a politician first and foremost, and all of his actions involved a great deal of thought about how they would appear to future generations. He never did anything or made any decision without weighing the political liabilities involved in his decision. The effects of his decisions on other humans were never considered. He was constantly writing notes “for posterity” as he tried to make certain that history would treat him well. I realize that I am making these statements and forming judgments based on the reading of just one book, but the fact that the author quotes “Teddy” quite often, makes it easy for me to do this. His own words convict him.

I keep a copy of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights on my computer and I like to refer to them at times. Why? Because so many politicians, like “Teddy”, abuse these documents in the name of patriotism and it helps to have a reference that you can trust.