John Quincy Adams versus George W. Bush

Found this quote today and found it quite appropos regarding the state of America today:

"(America) does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example. She well knows that by once listing under other banners than her own, were they even banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force... She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit..."

-- John Quincy Adams, 1821

This was from a day when American presidents wrote their own words, instead of being written for them.

How did we get to this level, where we don't have leaders of this kind of caliber anymore?