What would Thomas Jefferson Say?

As I type this, our current President is attempting to make the Federal Government bigger and more powerful than every before, all in the name of fixing the economic crisis. From Government run Health Care to Government owned banks, they're considering it all.

As I pondered this, I thought back to a family trip to Philadelphia a few years ago. We visited the new Constitution Center and Independence Hall. At the Constitution Center, there is a room with life sized bronze statues of all the members on the Continental Congress. Conspicuous by his absence is Thomas Jefferson. Being a history novice (I was educated in public schools after all), I asked one of the employees about this, and got a lesson in history. I was informed that Jefferson was in France during the Continental Congress and that he hated the idea of the Constitution. Jefferson was a states' rights guy, and he felt the Constitution gave the Federal Government too much power. Eventually, our 3rd President found a voice in the Democratic-Republic party pushing for a limited federal government.

So, on a day like today, when I see our federal government increasing in power and size by leaps and bounds, I did some research to see just what Thomas Jefferson would have to say. Here are some quotes from Jefferson that address the very topics I struggle with today, followed by my own commentary on each.

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

How often do we hear that the government is spending all this money and instituting new programs to make a better life for us? Remember, we pay taxes for all these programs...there's no free ride. What happened to people making the American dream for themselves?

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government."

I don't really have much to add to this. Seems to speak for itself in the current climate.

"No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will."

Our press is still free, but they've chosen a side. With a few exceptions in the media, censorship exists, in that the media will report the stories that bolster their chosen side while suppressing stories that may hurt their chosen side.

Now, my personal favorite:

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

I don't think we fear our government yet, but it's getting closer. As more people become dependent on government assistance to live, fear of losing that government assistance leads to fear of the government, and eventually a form of tyranny.

I believe Thomas Jefferson would be ashamed of what direction our country is taking these days. Jefferson was a brilliant man and a great President. After all, he's on Mt. Rushmore, so he must have done something right. Perhaps in this troublesome time, we should look to the wisdom of those great minds in our history for guidance rather than relying on hope that a relative novice will bring about the change we need.