Isn't it about time we started thinking like our Founding Fathers?
"There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution" - President John Adams
" However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. " - President George Washington Farewell Address | Saturday, September 17, 1796
And bringing us up to date the following essay should be incorporated into every school's curriculum such that today's students would be prepared to fight the dangers of party politics.
Credit for the following ~ Stuart McClain
There were no Republicans in Franklin’s day, so no. However let’s look at what Franklin believed in, and what Republicans believe in.
Smaller government yup, Franklin did not believe in big government, neither do Republicans.
Antislavery, check, both Franklin and the Republicans are anti slavery.
Views on federal government’s role, check, just like the Republicans Franklin believed that government’s role was to safe guard individual liberties, it does not grant them. He believed that the power ought to rest with the states. Though he did not think central government ought to be weak, it ought to be restrained.
Views on business. He was a federalist, which means he supported business and commerce, which were huge reasons behind the Revolutionary War.
Liberty. Although the Democrats are known here and now as liberals, in the 1700’s liberalism was understood to be something else entirely, something that fits Republican ideals to a “T”. In the rest of the world the Republicans would be seen as liberals, here in America though that term has become synonymous with Progressivism, which in reality is what the Democrats have become. And it is a very different thing than traditional liberalism. Franklin’s views as a Federalist would have fallen very much in line with the Republicans on liberty. He famously said something to the effect of those who would trade liberty for safety deserve neither.
There are certain things Franklin would have more in common with Democrats, but over all I think he would have far more in common with Republicans.
Oftentimes the Republicans views are presented in a skewed manner by progressives. For instance Republicans were the first to support women’s suffrage, full citizenship, equal rights, and voting privileges for blacks. They were the first to promote environmental protections. It was under Republicans that women were first appointed to powerful positions, for instance Sandra Day O’Connor, and Jean Kirkpatrick. They commissioned the first audit of Congress to hold them accountable. And they accomplished the first clean up of Civil Service, something which really needs to happen again, if anything needs reforming it is Civil Service, it has way too much power for people who have never been elected to anything. They improved Medicare, planned balanced budgets.
They are portrayed as the opposite of who they are by the left. In fact if you asked most people that vote Democrat what they thought about or which party did something without telling them who said or did it most of the time they would find themselves in agreement with the Republicans.
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It has been said that we may have lost the battle for independence without the likes of Benjamin Franklin. So isn't it time we had the mindset of those that set us free. Washington, Adams, and Franklin; they fought so we wouldn't have to. ~ Storm'n Norm'n
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