Let's talk about our founding fathers

[BallsBrunswick]

We were very fortunate as Americans that our founding fathers were arguably one of the most intelligent and educated generations in recorded human history. The principals and wording this country was founded upon are continuing to change the world centuries later and have been the basis for every righteous revolution since. However our founding fathers were a vast collection of different ideologies and were very complex men just as our politicians are today. Considering how often our founding fathers are cited in modern political discussions, I thought it would be fascinating to discuss our favorite founding fathers, who they were as people and what they'd be like today.

My favorite founding father was by far Thomas Jefferson. Arguably one of the most radical thinkers and intelligent men in history. The writer of the Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and one of the most biggest proponents of religious freedom in history. Little known fact but Jefferson also worked to end slavery in Virginia early in his life before giving up due to the opposition of the time. The man was a fiery radical in his writing proposing that the constitution be torn up every 20 years and rewritten by the next generation. Ironically though the man apparently was very mousy in real life has he had difficulty with public speaking and very rarely engaged in the public arena. Thomas Jefferson's political views were so out there that it's hard to imagine he'd even be able to exist in the modern political arena.

 

[ShootSpeeders]

TJ had his balls on str8. Like nearly all the FF, he championed states rights. Lincoln opposed SR and was prolly our worst prez.

 

[Bfgrn]

We were very fortunate as Americans that our founding fathers were arguably one of the most intelligent and educated generations in recorded human history. The principals and wording this country was founded upon are continuing to change the world centuries later and have been the basis for every righteous revolution since. However our founding fathers were a vast collection of different ideologies and were very complex men just as our politicians are today. Considering how often our founding fathers are cited in modern political discussions, I thought it would be fascinating to discuss our favorite founding fathers, who they were as people and what they'd be like today.

My favorite founding father was by far Thomas Jefferson. Arguably one of the most radical thinkers and intelligent men in history. The writer of the Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and one of the most biggest proponents of religious freedom in history. Little known fact but Jefferson also worked to end slavery in Virginia early in his life before giving up due to the opposition of the time. The man was a fiery radical in his writing proposing that the constitution be torn up every 20 years and rewritten by the next generation. Ironically though the man apparently was very mousy in real life has he had difficulty with public speaking and very rarely engaged in the public arena. Thomas Jefferson's political views were so out there that it's hard to imagine he'd even be able to exist in the modern political arena.

If you are fond of Thomas Jefferson, you might enjoy this comment President Kennedy made speaking at a White House dinner for Nobel Prize winners in 1962...

"I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone"

 

[BreezeWood]

Let's talk about our founding fathers


Liberalism at its finest Hour.

 

[OKTexas]

I don't know if I can pick just one, Jefferson, Adams and Madison are at the top, all were presidents and all contributed greatly in different ways. The problem I have with all of them is they wrote the Constitution in too broad of terms. The first congress and the states tried to remedy that by passing the bill of rights, but even that didn't protect us form judges and lawyers later.

 

[Lakhota]

Jefferson is my favorite. I hear he liked black women.

Texas Board of Education cuts Thomas Jefferson out of its textbooks. | ThinkProgress

Blogging the Social Studies Debate IV | TFN Insider

 

[Mac1958]

.

Wow, funny this thread would come up. I've done some serious power relaxing this weekend, and I've watched all 7 episodes of "John Adams", the series that was on HBO. Man, I loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute, I could have done with less of the love story & making out with Adams and Abigail, but ya can't have everything.

The moments when Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are just sitting there, shootin' the shit. Three iconic American figures, all brilliant but with completely contrasting personalities, trying to keep everything from falling apart and create something new at the same time. The guy who played Washington was great, too. I have to get the DVD set.

I'm gonna vote for Franklin, a man of many talents and weaknesses.

.

 

[regent]

"For the framers of the Constitution were the most liberal thinkers of all the ages and the charter they produced out ot the liberal revolution of their time has never been and is not now surpassed in liberal thought."

General Douglas MacArthur.

 

[Pheonixops]

"For the framers of the Constitution were the most liberal thinkers of all the ages and the charter they produced out ot the liberal revolution of their time has never been and is not now surpassed in liberal thought."

General Douglas MacArthur.

Nice quote!

Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin are my favorites.

 

[BallsBrunswick]

What do you guys think Washington would be like today? He'd probably be a Republican and a figurehead but I don't know if he'd be much more.

Washington is definitely one of the most interesting. Had an unflappable character and was arguably the strongest person of the founding fathers however he was a pretty mediocre general and was a bit of a dupe.

Also, Alexander Hamilton is the one we can thank for a lot of the politics we consider right wing. A strong proponent of federal power and the creator of the first national bank. Hamilton is another extremely interesting guy. Perhaps the only equal of Jefferson's genius while having a much more fascinating story. He distinguished himself in the revolutionary war but was born a bastard (back when that was actually thing) in the Caribbean but was basically running a merchant company by age 12. Probably the most self made man and the biggest ego in American history. He famously died in a duel with Aaron Burr.

 

[BallsBrunswick]

(I really really get off on American history... if you couldn't tell...)

 

[asaratis]

(I really really get off on American history... if you couldn't tell...)

You cut and paste well...that is all I can tell from your attempts to appear knowledgeable.

 

[jwoodie]

Jefferson is the father of partisan politics in this country, refusing John Adam's generous offer to co-govern with him so that he could engage in a vicious campaign to besmirch Adam's reputation. Ironically, he also oversaw one of the greatest expansions of federal power through the Louisiana Purchase, by which the national government gained title to over half the land area of the U.S.

 

[Bfgrn]

.

Wow, funny this thread would come up. I've done some serious power relaxing this weekend, and I've watched all 7 episodes of "John Adams", the series that was on HBO. Man, I loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute, I could have done with less of the love story & making out with Adams and Abigail, but ya can't have everything.

The moments when Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are just sitting there, shootin' the shit. Three iconic American figures, all brilliant but with completely contrasting personalities, trying to keep everything from falling apart and create something new at the same time. The guy who played Washington was great, too. I have to get the DVD set.

I'm gonna vote for Franklin, a man of many talents and weaknesses.

.

Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are dead. It was a fucking movie.

 

[Fmr_Army_MSgt.]

TJ had his balls on str8. Like nearly all the FF, he championed states rights. Lincoln opposed SR and was prolly our worst prez.

I agree with your post.

 

[there4eyeM]

What is truly amazing is the concentration of intelligence, eloquence and education found in that group out of such a small population compared with today.

Where are their equivalents?

 

[Mac1958]

.

Wow, funny this thread would come up. I've done some serious power relaxing this weekend, and I've watched all 7 episodes of "John Adams", the series that was on HBO. Man, I loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute, I could have done with less of the love story & making out with Adams and Abigail, but ya can't have everything.

The moments when Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are just sitting there, shootin' the shit. Three iconic American figures, all brilliant but with completely contrasting personalities, trying to keep everything from falling apart and create something new at the same time. The guy who played Washington was great, too. I have to get the DVD set.

I'm gonna vote for Franklin, a man of many talents and weaknesses.

.

Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are dead. It was a fucking movie.

Holy crap, REALLY?

So it turns out that Adams, Franklin and Jefferson never spoke, never discussed the formation of an independent nation, never collaborated on a new Constitution, never had conversations about the Constitution in France, never disagreed over its elements. And NOW they're freakin' DEAD! Wow, color me embarrassed!

Thanks for setting me straight!

This board is very, very educational.

.

 

[Bfgrn]

.

Wow, funny this thread would come up. I've done some serious power relaxing this weekend, and I've watched all 7 episodes of "John Adams", the series that was on HBO. Man, I loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute, I could have done with less of the love story & making out with Adams and Abigail, but ya can't have everything.

The moments when Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are just sitting there, shootin' the shit. Three iconic American figures, all brilliant but with completely contrasting personalities, trying to keep everything from falling apart and create something new at the same time. The guy who played Washington was great, too. I have to get the DVD set.

I'm gonna vote for Franklin, a man of many talents and weaknesses.

.

Adams, Franklin and Jefferson are dead. It was a fucking movie.

Holy crap, REALLY?

So it turns out that Adams, Franklin and Jefferson never spoke, never discussed the formation of an independent nation, never collaborated on a new Constitution, never had conversations about the Constitution in France, never disagreed over its elements. And NOW they're freakin' DEAD! Wow, color me embarrassed!

Thanks for setting me straight!

This board is very, very educational.

.

You are welcome...