LOL. I have over 300 books in my Liberty library. I have over a dozen books on Jefferson alone. To sum up of the Founders, they thought government was inherently evil. They knew the nature of man and the type of people that would be attracted to government.
Simply put, our Founders main priority in defining our government was to keep it weak, to have it at odds with itself. Rick's view of government is to be activist in the cause of his moral crusade.
You don't think that they would be upset at all about the total lack of morality that you would have us pursue?
They would be upset but their solutions would in no way be what Rick is proposing. They would be highly offended by Rick's preaching that the State can be the source of solving our moral issues.
Our Founders knew if we had an informed society, one left "mostly" alone by government, that a well ordered peaceful society would naturally arise. A society of moral men, strengthened by religious freedom. A society of increasing prosperity brought about by limited government and economic freedom.
To sum it up, a society of "rugged individualism". The type of individual that Santorum seems to rail against. I find Ricks fundamental view of Conservatism to be very disturbing.
Therein lies the problem, what would their solution be, since I doubt they ever conceived it would get this bad, not that they didn't believe it could, but hoped that through moral education and enlightenment it never would.
Jefferson's solution may be the only one left now. They never accepted Payne's new view, but many here do.