Washington D.C. Quotes
Traitors and spies were their terms for Southern sympathizers in the Federal Government. Many of these would pass information to the rebels.
The Senator became an accomplished actor, and played many parts during his political career and after he retired from politics.
Gaming the system is the process of finding loopholes or arranging things so that you can get around the law and usually do just what is prohibited in a way that is not a criminal offense. It is done mostly by corporations trying to avoid laws and regulations, but government officials in the Executive Branch often do the same thing to get around the laws which have been passed but the current administration now finds inconvenient.
At the time Cockburn was the 2nd in command of the British Fleet and had attacked Washington in the War of 1812. The British troops had taken the capitol and Cockburn was seated in the chair of the Speaker of the House with the British officers in the House itself. The reason he raised the question is that the attack on Washington was in retaliation of the American invasion of Canada and the attack on York (Toronto). The American troops were somewhat out of control and burned private and government non-armed buildings which was against the then rules of civilized warfare. The British fleet was ordered to attack Washington to retaliate, but the specifics of the retaliation were left to the officers discretion. The officers responded in the affirmative, and Washington buildings including the White House was burned. Most Americans are unaware that we invaded Canada and do not know why Washington was burned.
Between the politicians and the financial industry lobbyists the laws are written so that there is sufficient room for enough self dealing so that members of Congress can get rich using methods that are questionable but have been legislated as legal and the Congressional rules have been written so that they are “not unethical”. Many members of Congress leave the institution much wealthier than when they entered but have received salaries that are insufficient to build that kind of wealth. Many then accept lobbying or other jobs at very high pay representing the people and corporations who have been the subjects of their legislative efforts. Other members do not avail themselves of the “legal” self dealing as the practice is not universal.
There were many national politicians who would publicly castigate homosexuals and yet were themselves gay and in effect were living two lives. For them “coming out of the closet” had a temporary meaning restricted to time and place and then they would go back “in the closet” for their public personae.
Without any fanfare, TR’s official stationery had a picture of the building with the text “White House”. At the time it was built in 1792 for President John Adams, a rather pompous man, it was the largest private home in America.
His main reason for believing this is that all appropriations bills must be initiated by the House of Representatives. Lobbyists therefore often give the House more attention than the Senate.
