Dear Editor,
As a student of early American History, I see issues plaguing our current political system that are similar to the issues that perplexed our Federalist and Anti-Federalist Founders in the late 1700’s. While the Federalists favored a more powerful centralized government, the anti-federalists favored more state control with a strong Bill of Rights.
Clear differences then. Not so in 2019, when you compare our two political parties.
Currently, our two-party system is, in essence, two factions of the 18th Century Federalists. Both sides, Republican and Democrat, want a strong centralized government. The differences of Jefferson and Madison are long gone in U.S. politics. Fortunately, we still have people like Ron Paul and Justin Amash. They are the Madison and Jefferson of our time. They have consistently stood in the way of government overreach.
Our United States was founded on the principles of defiance and questioning authority. When we allow ourselves to blindly follow a politician because they belong to a certain party, we become akin to the Americans loyal to King George during the Revolution. We cease being Patriots.
I urge everyone to read the Alien and Sedition Acts as well as the rebuttals found in the Virginia Kentucky Resolutions. This will give some context to my comparisons. And as for the rhetoric today against Muslims in Congress? The predecessor to the First Amendment is the Virginia Statute for religious freedom, a document that will clear up what the intention of the Founders wanted as far as religious preferences when it comes to ability to govern.
We are Americans!! We are kindred spirits. Let’s stop fighting among ourselves and unite in a common cause! That cause is Liberty for All!!
Joe Paschal,
White Sulphur
Springs Montana
