[patriciaruth]

"I do most anxiously wish to see the highest degrees of education given to the higher degrees of genius and to all degrees of it, so much as may enable them to read and understand what is going on in the world and to keep their part of it going on right; for nothing can keep it right but their own vigilant and distrustful superintendence." --Thomas Jefferson to Mann Page, 1795. ME 9:30

Concerning institutions of men "distrustful superintendence" is far healthier than "blind faith".

But I am a Washingtonian, not a Jeffersonian.

Jefferson promoted the founding of a newspaper for the sole purpose of running political hit stories on President Washington, and the Federalists led by Hamilton. He financed the editor to write these hit pieces surreptitiously, and didn't do it in the open but rather like Hillary, backstabbing.

Is this why you like Jefferson so much? Or is it that the champion of freedom did not believe in freedom for his own slaves that enamours you of him so much?