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Obama, Romney And A Dead Cat

By       (Page 1 of 3 pages)   3 comments
Message Mark Sashine
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(Article changed on October 19, 2012 at 20:35)

(Article changed on October 19, 2012 at 20:21)


 

 

  I couldn't watch the   debates.   Those two guys should just   sing a song in unison, "Everything you can do, I can do better" No, you   can't, yes, I can., etc..etc".

It was the reaction   of the MSM that bothered me;   I felt a smell of a dead cat.

 

The cat comes from the book by Lyons Feuchtwanger "Arms For America'- the great   historical novel, practically unknown in the US.   In that book Feuchtwanger tells a story about   Benjamin Franklin and his first mission to Paris as   a Representative   of the Continental Congress, his efforts to sign a treaty with France and the great help   provided to America by the   notorious and famous Pierre Baumarchet, the adventurer, arms dealer and   a literary genius, author   of the   immortal comedy "Marriage of Figaro'. For the record, it was   Baumarchet, who    devised a plan   by which   French government could use his name to   send   arms   and munitions to   Americans.   He wanted to sell those arms for profit and guarantee   the delivery   of American spices and   sugar to France. In   a long run he never got anything   back but his debts were   covered by   French taxpayers which contributed to already    catastrophic situation   of   then French   budget.

 

The book is   marvelous, full of   wit,   brilliant characteristics and   historical narratives. It sparkles like  a wine. It is also dedicated to Ben Franklin; he is a protagonist and   the level of respect and even love towards great Ben is overwhelming.    "Behold   the man,"- says about him the French Prime-Minister Maurepat and that's how we see   him- the   first American, famous   on both sides of the Ocean.

 

Franklin came to France in a very   tough period   for the US revolution: the British were winning on all fronts and even Philadelphia was taken. It was   a matter of life and death to achieve a treaty with   the French, gain their military support and a sizable loan. Meanwhile Congress could not offer anything to the potential ally except   for the   slim   promises of   preferential sugar trading after   the victory .   Franklin was sent    on a mission from    Hell.

 

But he succeeded immensely. Not only he secured the good     rapport with the French government- he   became a celebrity in   Paris and was the first foreigner in the   18th Century    granted full membership   in the French Academy.   His portrait was exhibited in Versailles, his   bust   was there too, he was called   "An old man   in an orchard' because   he lived in a beautiful orchard. All was well except for one thing- the French King, Louis the 16th   hated him and   could   not stand him.

The young King (he was barely 23 at that time)   was very pious and   he could not approve in his soul any dealings and especially   treaties   with the people who   revolted against his English cousin thus   openly violating the   Divine   principles of governing by monarchy. He even contemplated at one point   to offer England   the French   fleet as a help. But his ministers were obsessed with the chance to pay England back   for   the previous    misfortunes and they pushed and pushed him; even the Queen Antoinette   was insisting on that treaty. Louis got really angry, announced that he would   not even consider such a   thing and in a paroxysm- imprisoned Baumarchet as a crook who   tried to involve the French Crown in his shadowy deals.

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The writer is 67 years old, semi- retired engineer, PhD, PE. I write fiction on a regular basis and I am also 10 years on OEN.

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