Would the founding fathers of the American republic really be rolling in their graves over today's government?

Question

People here continuously point to the founding fathers and imagine what they would think of today's government. The fact is, they would likely find it quite tame.
Within months of taking control, Washington's cabinet suffered a political split and became ineffective. The Hamilton Federalist were at odds with the Jefferson Republicans. After only months in office as the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton was exposed in a scandal involving spending federal money on prostitutes.
The rift between Jefferson and Hamilton became so heated that George Washington in his private writings gave little hope for the success of the new nation.
The mudslinging between the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalist escalated when John Adams became president. Adams, a conservative by today's measure, detested Hamilton, a liberal of his day.
Hamilton was feared as a strong contender for the presidency. This fear was ended in a baited duel with Aaron Burr, a conservative.

Would the founding fathers be ashamed or proud of the government of today?

Answer 1

I think they would be proud of some of the accomplishments made to this point, especially in civil rights and womens suffrage. However, I also feel that the "big government" of today is not representative of what they had in mind when they founded this nation. Of course, things are a lot different today then they were back then. The internet makes it possible to exchange ideas with someone on the other side of the globe, we have mass transit, radio, television, satellites, phones, etc. However, the control the government exerts over the states and the people is most definitely not what they had in mind as is outlined and defined by Amendments 9 and 10 of the Constitution. The people and the states were supposed to be somewhat autonomous in there daily lives. Instead the government routinely threatens the states by saying they will withhold federal funds if the states don't comply with whatever initiative they are pushing. Also, the rights of the people have been somewhat infringed in recent years. The exposure of the Federal Government spying on millions of Americans goes to support that. I'm sure both sides of the political spectrum will attempt to blame that on the President, but they are just as guilty as well. Also, the Supreme Court anymore seems content to sit back and let the status quo go instead of saying whether it's really constitutional or not. I'm sure that if the Patriot Act were placed under scrutiny from a Constitutional standpoint then it would not be upheld. I think our founding fathers would have found the government not to their liking and the political leadership lacking. Of course, the bipartisan squabbling would have probably reminded them a good bit of themselves as everything you posted in your details is true. Great question. Hope you like the answers you get.

Answer 2

Most people don't actually know much about the real history of that time. They envision GW throwing silver dollars and chopping down cherry trees, Ben flying a kite, TJ writing various documents, and Dolly Madison making cupcakes.

They don't really know about the amazingly partisan politics, the controversial Alien and Sedition Act, the various rifts and splits within the Government, and the fact that there was almost a civil war just after this country was founded.

Answer 3

First would be the interpretation on the Constitution and second would be the travesty of the Supreme Court.
Both have made a complete mockery of what was the "intent" of the Bill of rights.
In law they speak so much of intent but nowhere does it come up inregards to what they intended for the future generations of Americans, freedom to run amok and kill.
This is not what this country was founded on,people came here for freedom of religion and being tired of being under the yoke of the King.
They wanted a society that was truly for the people, buut we have become fat and lazy and degenerate.
Nothing noble or of value comes from America anymore.

Answer 4

i replaced into conscious that some human beings mistakenly think of that "below God" replaced into area of the unique pledge. besides the undeniable fact that, I disagree that all of us is pledging allegiance to the government. We pledge allegiance to the "flag of the USA of a." in keeping with probability the version seems diffused, yet there's a clean massive difference - we make a pledge to our usa, no longer unavoidably government or to any elected expert. In different phrases: there is not any longer something incorrect with reciting the pledge.

Answer 5

They would pick up arms and fight a new revolution against the insane federal and local governments that we have. They did not want to create a socialist economy and certainly not a welfare state.