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August 23, 2010

Even the founding fathers had an agenda

The Times-Tribune

CORBIN — Perhaps the greatest collection of genius in one place at one time took place in Philadelphia in 1787 — the Constitutional Convention. We too often fail to appreciate how revolutionary, subversive and radical their ideas are.

But we too frequently treat the “Founding Fathers” as infallible moral authorities and all sides appropriate them for contemporary political reasons. They were brilliant, farsighted and courageous, but they were mortal, fallible — and sometimes acted on self-interest and in partisan ways.

The next time someone quotes Thomas Jefferson on the Constitution, recall he wasn’t there. He was in France, urging on their bloody revolutionaries and trying to woo a young married woman. Go back and read his correspondence with James Madison during that period. Jefferson questioned the adoption of a new government. He preferred to strengthen — slightly — the Articles of Confederation. Read Jefferson’s thoughts on “a nation of yeoman farmers” before adopting him as an authority to oppose farm subsidies. Both Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were members of George Washington’s cabinet, yet both undermined Washington’s foreign policy, each flirting with treason by encouraging French (Jefferson) and British (Hamilton) intrigue.

Madison’s “Publius” argued for a strong central government in The Federalist Papers. Yet after the Constitution was ratified, he and Jefferson wrote the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, arguing a state could exercise its sovereignty to disregard federally enacted laws. But President Madison later opposed the idea when New England states wanted to nullify embargoes and customs laws used to finance the War of 1812. Jefferson believed the Louisiana Purchase was unconstitutional — but that didn’t stop him.

Jefferson is sometimes invoked by those defending unregulated free markets and even Wall Street where self-described “Titans of the Universe” move paper around to make fortunes. Jefferson despised “stock-jobbers,” the derisive term he used to dismiss Hamilton’s financial system. That system, by the way, was based entirely upon government debt and credit. But Jefferson acquiesced when he cravenly traded votes for Hamilton’s plan to assume state debts in exchange for locating the national capitol in Washington.

Nevada Senate candidate Sharon Angle recently said Washington, Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were “conservatives.” Well they were so conservative, they engaged in armed revolution. Jefferson was forever in debt, spending far beyond his means on fine French wines, books and furniture. He’s believed to have fathered children by a slave who could hardly say no. Franklin maintained a second family during his stay in Britain, fathered an illegitimate child who in turn fathered one of his own. Franklin expressly denied the divinity of Jesus and Washington and Jefferson seemed at times to question it. Franklin used the Postal Service to get rich and secure a government job for his son. Jefferson and Madison used government funds to bankroll a newspaper to promote their political agenda and attack opponents. All at one time or another owned other human beings — although Franklin later became an abolitionist and Washington freed his slaves upon his death.

These men and others created a revolution second only to that incited by Jesus. Unlike Jesus, they were imperfect. Their foibles and humanity don’t detract from their accomplishment. Their ideas and ideals remain the best guides for how we should govern ourselves. They are due our reverence and gratitude —but not our worship.

We would be wise to remember they would not recognize the world in which we live. Next time an opponent of the health care reform quotes one of those revolutionary titans, remember they believed an effective medical treatment for most illnesses was to bleed patients with leeches, a remedy which may have killed Washington.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.

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