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What would Thomas Jefferson think today
would have enough knowledge to efficiently run it on their own. Jefferson would say that knowledge is power and everyone desires it.
Jefferson would probably tell us that the Founding fathers established our form of government based on our inherent and inalienable rights. Therefore, it is necessary for us to ground ourselves as thoroughly as possible in an understanding of that foundation, and then let that guide us in shaping the policies of government in our own age. Jefferson fully expected us to be smarter than his generation, equipped with better technology which of course he would give us a thumbs up for. But, I am sure that we have not lived up to his expectations, nor that we are as competent at building on the foundation as he was on laying it. This is our responsibility, whether we meet it or not. If this nation is to remain free and secure, Jefferson would tell us that the common people, though in these days would include minorities, themselves take responsibility to keep it on the right track.
Jefferson would point out that we need to take what he established and understand what it all means, and try to protect from that knowledge of fundamentals what is useful to a good society and a sound policy. This way we can rightly determine what our position regarding new issues should be “America belongs to the living.”
In conclusion, Thomas Jefferson would tell us to fix the problems we have today by two principles our inalienable rights, and a government by the people. Only in this way can we assure ourselves that we shall maintain government by the people within its rightful limits, preserving it free from those that corrupt it. Jefferson’s last thoughts would be for us to stretch our minds as we evaluate between his vision and our problems. But that is how we test and expand our understanding, that is how we gain a better insight into the problems we face: by being especially aware of principle and letting that be our guide.