Excellent commentary and thoughtful.
I believe that Madison would be shocked and Hamilton stunned to see the size and scope of government. Hamilton is unfairly maligned today.
Too many forget that unity was critical to our success. By 1820 we were still barely a country and very susceptible to outside forces. The Monroe Doctrine was enforced not by Americans, but by the British Navy.
Obviously we’re too far over to one side, but we cannot imagine that our country would last if we had 50 utterly sovereign states. We need a reduction in federal power and control, not the destruction of it. A return to the Constitutional bounds is a sufficient dose, but not more.
Can you list for me precisely what those “Constitutional Bounds” are and how you believe they can “returned” and bound by their chains as Jefferson suggested?
Yes, we have been a nation of men for some time.
Ben Franklin doesn’t get enough credit as a Founder and Framer. He predicted a quick death for the Articles of Confederation and a long one for the Constitution.
Correct he was on both counts.