[hellbender]

Nonsense. John Adams and all the other Founders would be horrified at what has become of the country they founded. While Jefferson was fascinated by the horrible French Revolution, Adams and the other Federalists were not fooled. Adams and his allies built up the navy which the foolish Jeffersonians opposed, and Jefferson’s ally Madison eventually used it in the nation’s defense.

[JohnBrowdie]

bingo.

[Cheburashka]

Adams and his allies built up the navy which the foolish Jeffersonians opposed, and Jefferson’s ally Madison eventually used it in the nation’s defense.

---

Jefferson used Adams’ navy as well. Without Adams’ navy, especially the frigates that Jefferson strenuously opposed, Jefferson himself would have had no warships capable of reaching the Mediterranean and fighting the Barbary pirates.

[gorush]

Of course they would all be horrified, even Adams who, of course, couldn’t imagine the destructive force of limiting individual freedom. The French Revolution wasn’t horrible at that point. It followed the same path that our Revolution did. We were very lucky to have the right people, culture and fortune to succeed. The French weren’t as fortunate...ditto the Russian Revolution a century later. Jefferson and Madison of course erred, but at least they worked to retain the original vision of individual freedom.