Cromwell's New Broom

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Cromwell's New Broom

Postby grawp » Wed Feb 01, 2017 3:57 pm

It is time for a new broom in Congress
For instructions on how to use it, let's take a ride in the Wayback Machine.

The date: 20 April 1653
The place: the House of Commons, London, SW 1
The event: Oliver Cromwell's Dissolution of the former Long Parliament, also known (derisively) as the Rump Parliament

"It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

"Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

"Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone! So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors.

In the name of God, go!"

##########

"Now, who will hold the dustpan for me?" said the Little Red Hen.
How many of you will say "Not I...?"
The world will never love us. They respect us - they might even grow to fear us.
But they will never love us, for we have too much audacity!

- Theodore Roosevelt – “The Wind & the Lion” (1975)
grawp
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