In what sense are you calling Jefferson Patriarchal? In his personal life, yes. But, politically no way. Lightening rod he was in that he believed the next generation of government/citizenry should never be saddled with laws passed by previous administrations, therefore, all laws consitutional or otherwise should expire every twenty years to be written anew. He was a lightening rod alright, for mayhem, and avarice. But that's the thing with ideologues..believing all nature is ultimately good and just. I'm not saying I have a hobbesian view of the world, just more in line with John Adams, the ever wary John Adams.
Recommendation: read "His Excellency" by Joseph Ellis. It lays bare Washington's struggle to reconcile his tried & true opinions formed out of the grit of experience as opposed to those born of theory and rhetoric espoused by non-soldiering statemen of his time - And if you can find it - Fawn Brody's "intimate portrait of Thomas Jefferson. It's 34 years old and may be out of print, but I am sure your local library will have a copy. Get it; you'll be glad you did.
And btw, My conservative sensibilities enjoys your blog for what it truly is: smart, well written, and thought provoking. Thanks!
2 comments:
In what sense are you calling Jefferson Patriarchal? In his personal life, yes. But, politically no way. Lightening rod he was in that he believed the next generation of government/citizenry should never be saddled with laws passed by previous administrations, therefore, all laws consitutional or otherwise should expire every twenty years to be written anew. He was a lightening rod alright, for mayhem, and avarice. But that's the thing with ideologues..believing all nature is ultimately good and just. I'm not saying I have a hobbesian view of the world, just more in line with John Adams, the ever wary John Adams.
Recommendation: read "His Excellency" by Joseph Ellis. It lays bare Washington's struggle to reconcile his tried & true opinions formed out of the grit of experience as opposed to those born of theory and rhetoric espoused by non-soldiering statemen of his time - And if you can find it - Fawn Brody's "intimate portrait of Thomas Jefferson. It's 34 years old and may be out of print, but I am sure your local library will have a copy. Get it; you'll be glad you did.
And btw, My conservative sensibilities enjoys your blog for what it truly is: smart, well written, and thought provoking. Thanks!
Dani in Alaska and of all towns...WASILLA!!!
Anonymous:
Thank you for commenting.
I've responded to this comment in the Jefferon-Paine thread, located here.
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