Washington's Farewell Address: Foreign Policy

355 Words2 Pages
Anonymous Anonymous 7th period, 6th grade English 2/11/11 An excellent leader and statesman, Washington knew about many hardships his newly founded nation had to face. In his Farewell Address, he indicated many of these struggles that may happen if neglected. Unfortunately, one of his worries was forgotten--the struggles of severe debt with other countries. Many presidents thought about how much they were spending, but several disregarded it. Money shows that a country has power, but if the nation does not have enough, it is vulnerable to threats from other nations. George Washington advised his successors by telling them of what could happen if they did not find a way to make money. He states in his Farewell Address, “…bear in mind that towards the payment of debts there must be revenue; that to have revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant….” He knew that the government had to come up with a way to tax the citizens in order to pay off debt, but should also make sure not to overtax the people. Washington’s was concerned about the war debts America owed after borrowing a lot of money from allied countries to support the military. The wars with Afghanistan and Iraq caused the U.S. to be in severe debt even after former presidents managed to balance the budget. On top of that, the feuding Democrat and Republican parties continue to blame each other for the financial crisis the United States are currently in. Any person will look at a crusty old dollar lying in between a sewer grate without realizing how much power it holds in the world. Washington was smart by putting Alexander Hamilton in charge of controlling all of the national finances. He made sure that he was putting his money in the hands of someone he trusted. Washington dreamed of having a stable, secure

More about Washington's Farewell Address: Foreign Policy

Open Document