Nominations for the ATS Greatest American Poll

I'd like to suggest two things.

1. Nominate your grandmother, if you think she is the greatest American and tell us why. Nominating those whom you think will win will make this a boring and repetitive exercise.

2. Pass the word about this thread. May I suggest a link in your signature, as I have done.

Originally posted by Odium
Now shush and go back to sleep.

Troll Alert...............................

Thank You Grady,



I also nominate both of my Grandmothers. Dam it
Oh, I almost forgot. Because if it weren't for them, my parents wouldn't have been born. Therefore, I wouldn't have been born. If I weren't born, I couldn't have an OPINION...AHHHHHHHHHHH

politics.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 7/5/2005 by Rhiannon1968]

"Soon, the Westinghouse alternating current system—rather than Edison's more expensive, higher-maintenance, and less efficient direct current system—began to get most of the orders. Another advantage with the alternating system soon became apparent: By allowing central stations to serve wider markets, the AC system also encouraged utilities to build larger stations, which then benefited from economies of scale and lowered their operating costs."

www.eei.org...

William Stanley Jr had an AC transformer before the 1882 station was opened and DC is a step back from AC. So really he didn't make any advancements. DC is only really used in battery operated items, however the battery was invented years before Edison. So yet again I don't see a giant leap forward.

Originally posted by Odium
www.eei.org...

Blah Blah Blah

I am well aware of Westinghouses contribution, but it would appear you missed my point. I said he made it practical.

Westinghouse on the other hand only made the transmission of electricity more efficient.

Issues another troll alert

[edit on 7/5/2005 by shots]

If you think I'm a troll, go report me to an Admin or the Council. -yawns-

Also how did he make it practical when they ended up using an older design? Surely he helped slow up the process instead of speeding it up? Which would have made it more useful to the people/modern society? In fact the whole "War of Currents" didn't help anything at all. In fact Walter Baily showed AC working in 1879.

So again how is this good? He just slowed the process up and went about attempting to slander Telsa and Co.

Oh yeah, last I checked sarcasm wasn't trolling. Sorry if I hurt your feelings whoever started this thread. I'll come give you a hug?

Dang, Gradey, that's pretty much what we were doing...I didn't even realize it.I like your idea, though, nominate who you really believe to be one of the greatest Americans, even if it's your grandmother. Maybe if we added the addendum "living" or in recent memory, because those nominated here on this thread truly were great Americans. Yet, so is that grandmother who nudged you and supported you and turned you into the person you are today. It could even be your parents. Small impact great Americans.

Rather than my grandmother, though (sorry, Granny, I know you read this!), I'm going to nominate my grandfather. He taught me to truly love this nation for her ideals, and see past her foibles. No country is perfect, but America, in my opinion, is the best we've got. That absolutely doesn't mean we ignore those foibles, though. His life taught me that, being a criminal prosecutor and taking on the mob in Chicago in the 60s, then criminal defense lawyer, giving a solid defense to those he truly thought innocent (another lawyer tried to go after him for dropping a client because he was certain he was guilty. Her plan kind of backfired (she perjured herself) and I believe she was dis-bared.), to taking on the most solemn duty he'd faced his entire life. All this while raising 10 kids! He was even knighted by the Catholic church. Do you realize what this means? He can ride a horse into any Catholic church he'd like to! Fun little tidbit I find extremely amusing, but for some reason he won't do it...

In the 1960s, under Attorney General Robert Kennedy, David Schippers lead the Justice Department's Organized Crime and Racketeering Unit. As a result, his children, including my mom, got used to walking to school every day with two FBI bodyguards on them. He waged war on such mobsters as Sam Giancana and Sam Battaglia, bringing them down. He did so with integrity and guts. Two stories come to mind that he's told. I may get some of the details wrong (he's not one of them old fogies who goes on about the same story time and time again), but the general concept will be accurate. Heh, the names and faces may be changed to protect the guilty .

I believe when he was taking on Giancana, he was approached in his office by one of the higher-up thugs. First, I should mention my grandfather has a bit of a temper. Guy walks into my grandfathers office, and tell him he going to stop looking in one direction (in the case). Dave's going to shift his focus, because its the right thing to do. Dave's going to shift his focus because, well, just to let him know, they know where his kids go to school. The guy named the school, and before his mouth had closed, my grandfather was over his desk, holding the mobster up off the ground by the collar of his shirt against the wall. "If anything happens to my kids, ANYTHING! I'm coming for you." The guy backed down really quickly, saying something to the effect of, "Dave, Dave, we'd never do anything to your kids"

In the other story, the tables were slightly turned. The heat was trying to land a mobster, but the guy's tracks were covered. They couldn't get him for anything. So instead the cops, very much against my fathers requests and demands, went after his family. The cops toss his family his family in lock-up (tax evasion or something), then ask him to come into the station to have a little chat. He comes in, and there are many detectives and lawyers in the room, including my grandfather. My grandfather is the first to speak, saying (and it really sounds a whole heck of a lot better in his voice, as I'm hearing in my head right now), "I want you to know I had nothing to do with this G*d D#*% Bull&$^%!" He kind of trails off in the end that leaves no question that he's not angry with this, he's utterly disgusted. The guy responds, "I know, Dave. We know you. It's between you and me."

He passionately loves this country, so it was with heavy heart and solemn vow to Henry Hyde that he would not be involved in a witch hunt, that he accepted the position of Chief Investigative Counsel to the House Judiciary Committee investigating the impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton. Those were the most difficult years of his life. His book, Sell Out tells the tale and how disgusted he was with politics coming before justice from both parties (he was particularly disgusted with the Republicans in the Senate), but to have actually seen him weather those years, knowing him my whole life, is the only way to see the toll this charge had on the man. Many times he was ready to quit, he even wrote a letter of resignation, but through the encouragement of Chairman Hyde and his own sense of duty, he stayed the course. It cost him a lot in the public eye, being the focus in tabloids and media attacks. He fought for what was right, and the cost for that is often high.

My grandfather is truly an inspiration to me, and someone I hold to be one of the greatest Americans in this nations rich history. He raised his kids to believe that a lie is the worst imaginable thing anyone can do. When confronted with something they did wrong, if they lied, the punishment would be severe, if the confessed, they would usually only have to remedy the situation (fix a broken window, that kind of thing). He holds the foundations this nation was founded deeply in his heart, and will answer injustice with his most effective weapon, the law. He is a patriot, an inspiration, and a role model, and he is who I believe is the greatest American out there right now.

Wait...Odium's a troll because he disagrees with you? Or is it because he voices that disagreement? For that matter, there's got to be a Edison vs. whoever thread, and if there isn't there ought to be!

Wow, junglejake. Your grandfather is a pretty impressive fellow.

Google Search

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Wow, junglejake. Your grandfather is a pretty impressive fellow.

Google Search

The greatest American alive

"My philosophy as a defense lawyer is not to get a not-guilty verdict, it's to make sure that your client gets a fair trial," Schippers said. "You play it according to the rules."

www.washingtonpost.com...

I wish there were more attorneys who held this view. The world would be a safer place.

[edit on 2005/7/5 by GradyPhilpott]

So far the nominees are:

George Washington Carver
Howard Zinn
Norman Borlaug
James Madison
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell (Chesty) Puller, USMC
Huey P. Newton
John F Kennedy
Abraham Lincoln
Anna Nicole Smith
Thomas Edison
David P Schippers

Come on folks nominate your personal favorites.

[edit on 5-7-2005 by Astronomer68]

[edit on 5-7-2005 by Astronomer68]

Ouch, that long post about David Schippers wasn't even worthy of a nomination!

Originally posted by junglejake
Ouch, that long post about David Schippers wasn't even worthy of a nomination!

An oversight, I'm sure. I think he's a serious contender.

This was a good idea Grady. The names coming in, along with their bios and then some of the lobbying posts are very educational and totally fascinating.

I think I saw where someone wanted to nominate Tesla but didn't because he was a russian. Go ahead & nominate him he became a U.S. citizen--and by the way he was from Serbia-Croatia.

[edit on 5-7-2005 by Astronomer68]

Originally posted by junglejake
Ouch, that long post about David Schippers wasn't even worthy of a nomination!

So you're tellin us David Schippers is your grandpa?

Originally posted by Astronomer68
This was a good idea Grady. The names coming in, along with their bios and then some of the lobbying posts are very educational and totally fascinating.

I think this too. I hope everyone reading these posts will explore the background of everyone nominated.

Good job, Grady.

I look forward to another round of nominees and cat callz tomorrow.

Wow. What amazing specimens of womanhood in the form of female "contribution to the nation" can be found in this list:

So far the nominees are:

George Washington Carver
Howard Zinn
Norman Borlaug
James Madison
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell (Chesty) Puller, USMC
Huey P. Newton
John F Kennedy
Abraham Lincoln
Anna Nicole Smith
Thomas Edison
David P Schippers

The instruction was: Come on folks nominate your personal favorites.

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
The instruction was: Come on folks nominate your personal favorites.

I actually did nominate my personal favorite, elbeit it was a nobrainer. I figured someone else already would have.

Best American woman ever? My grandma, of course. She was a good ol' girl raise out west, in North Dakota. She married my grandpa when they were young and she moved with him to Washington State, the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Everyone said they were crazy for moving out there. Back then conventional or delayed conventional wisdom said, the Pacific coast would be invaded by japs. Screw the japs! My grandmother's fragile health was in the balance! They liked it out there, it was conducive to her good breathing and it was on!

Grandpa was a farmer and my grandma put up with that hard life. Few people today can even imagine what that drudgery ( just living) would be liek. That was before wash machines and microwaves and Mr. Coffee. That was when a woman had five to ten kids and learned to live with it. Back then folks didn't complain about that stuff. The things they complained about was dying a painful and incurable death of cancer, at an ungodly young age, most of the time.

My grandmother was a hero to me, b/c she raised the people she spawned to the best of her ability. She put herself, the sweet and blessed person/individual she was aside, to ensure that her children and grandchildren would reach heights in life never imagined by her.

Grandma might not have been any one worth mentioning, but she raised a ton of kids to become quite successful in their own right, and good and loving people, at that. She was the kindest person I ever knew. As a matter of fact, b/c of her, I had to apologize to a friend tonight for being stone cold smarta&&ed with him. I could hear her voice pleading w/me not to call my little brother stupid. She thot it might hurt him in unseen ways. So, she still speaks to me.

She is probly the most fragile person I've ever known physically, but yet, the most powerful, in love.

So I nominate Grandma Bailey!

I'm still trying to think if I make my arguement for Huey P. Newton, Malcolm X or John F. Kennedy, part of me is even tempted to make it for Robert Kennedy.

As for the Edison bit? I might post one ont he Slug-Fest, when I can be bothered to find my books and display all his inventions being well invented before he did them.