FReeper Book Club: The Debate over the Constitution, Federalist #3

A Publius/Billthedrill Essay | 4 March 2010 | Publius & Billthedrill

[Publius]

Once the Constitution was ratified, the anti-Federalists did more than get the Bill of Rights into the Constitution, they formed the basis of the Jeffersonian impulse in American politics.

Before the Civil War dealt a death blow to Jacksonian federalism, the anti-Federalists formed the base of Jefferson's Republican Party and Jackson's Democratic Party. After the Civil War, the Jeffersonian impulse formed the basis of the Progressive Movement.

Following World War II, Goldwater brought the heirs of the anti-Federalists and Jeffersonians into the modern Republican Party, and Reagan brought them to power -- for a while. Today the heirs of John DeWitt and Jefferson reside in the Tea Party movement.

The anti-Federalists are still among us, but in a different form.

[Huck]

But of course, once the Constitution was ratified, antifederalism (federalism) was a lost cause, as we have seen. I don’t really like Jefferson’s name attached to antifederalism. While the antifederalists were resisting big government consolidation, Jefferson was out of the country taking Madison’s word for everything. Madison, once his great plan was hatched, immediately began scurrying around, scheming with Jefferson against Washington and Hamilton, who were only doing what any antifederalist could have told them (and did) would happen. By then it was too late, and they both come off looking like fools.