President Lincoln stood. He smiled kindly at President Washington. "Sometimes silence is stronger than the spoken word. I concurred in what was being said, and I didn't feel I could add to it. Why clutter up the proceedings with a lot of unnecessary rhetoric? As for the elected/appointed question, I think we should save that for our next meeting. I've a feeling it will be a very long discussion." "Well said," acknowledged President Washington. "Too many of us politicians talk too much. But of course that fact is not entirely unknown to the general public." Everyone laughed. At this point President Madison interceded: "Forgive me for interrupting, Mr. President, but I think we need to address the problem of elected officials as a whole. How can we be sure of electing only those who have the best interests of our beloved country at heart?" "I think herein lies the problem," said President Adams. "Everyone has his own opinion as to whether or not a given policy is within our country's best interests. Who is to be the supreme authority on the matter?" "If there were only two people left on earth, there would be a difference of opinion," said President Lincoln. "Therein lies the uniqueness of mankind." "How can we be sure," said President Adams, "that this difference of opinion will never become so great that it would again divide our beloved country into warring factions?" "We can never be sure of that," said President Lincoln. "There are those that would try to divide us in order to conquer us -- that they may force their system of government upon us. A system of government where, unfortunately, freedom of the people is not the highest priority." "Gentlemen!" said President Madison. "Doesn't it all boil down to what we said earlier? That it all begins with the children. If they were taught from a very young age the importance of high moral principles, they would grow up with these high ideals inside of them, and those elected to office would be there to serve all the people in a fair and equitable manner that would not, for example, bend to pressure, or the offer of monetary gain from the special interest groups." Everyone nodded in agreement. President Madison went on: "As you know, I served for two terms of office. Prior to that I served Tom here as his Secretary of State. They were troubled times then, and I could foresee that our country would face many problems in the future. Many social problems. I felt then, as I do now, that America's hope -- the hope of the world -- lies along the path of honesty, integrity, and justice. It is the only way. And those who would follow another path are traitors, not only to their countrymen, but to all mankind." Everyone applauded loudly as several voices interjected with, "Hear, hear," "Well said," "So true," et cetera.