Opus 2017-018: Presidential Transitions in History

My generation is used to dramatic swings in administrations and the change being peaceful.  When we went from Jimmy Carter to Ronald Reagan we had no revolutions.  When we elected Bill Clinton the right did not rise.  When it swung back to George Bush there were rumblings that still continue but the transition was generally smooth.  When Obama replaced Bush we did not see a lot of people yelling about him not being their president and the conservatives certainly did not riot in the streets.

Now we are worried.  The left seems to have done more than drink the Kool Aide.  They seem to have it injected directly into their veins.  Take heart.  Look a back a little at history.  Read the following.  I believe it had to do with the transition from John Adams to Thomas Jefferson.

“The drums of civil war were beating. Between Washington and Richmond ‘a chain of expresses’ was established, the messengers riding ‘day and night.’  In Maryland and elsewhere, armed men, wrought up to the point of bloodshed, made ready to march on the rude Capital, sprawling among the Potomac hills and thickets. Threats were openly made that any man appointed President by act of Congress, pursuant to Marshall's reputed opinion, would be instantly assassinated. The Governor of Pennsylvania prepared to lead the militia into Washington by the 3d of March.”

Albert J. Beveridge.  The Life of John Marshall (Volume 2 of 4), Kindle Location
        8938-8942, from a Project Gutenberg download.

So when you hear about demonstrations it is just childish temper tantrums.  When you hear about terrorist type attacks planned by the left understand that historically we have had some very rocky transitions. 

Take heart.  We survived the coming of Jefferson.  We will survive the leaving of Obama.

homo unius libri