The Jefferson Discussion Group of Orlando

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The Thomas Jefferson Discussion Group
of Orlando, Florida

Meeting No. 64 - February 28, 2007
Holiday House Restaurant, Orlando, Florida



THIS MONTH'S TOPIC:
A 21st Century Jeffersonian Party?


I am fond of saying that everyone claims Jefferson as their own - every political persuasion: Democrat, Libertarian, Liberal, Progressive, Republican, Conservative, John Birch, Bull Mouse, Whig, Skin-head, Nazi, Socialist, Green, Labor, (insert your favorite if I missed it) are convinced that they continue to do the work Jefferson started.

Every persuasion, that is, save Communist. However, even Communism in its pure sense, believed Marx - kick-started by Capitalism, with no private property to cause conflict, would evolve into a utopian state of freedom and happiness for the individual and the masses - same goal, different path.

Remember what was on the tee-shirt that Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, was wearing when he was captured: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." - Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787.

Now, what would a Jeffersonian party look like today? We have spent almost six years studying, discussing, agreeing, disagreeing, whispering, yelling, pleading, petitioning, and beseeching each other on many contemporary issues and on what side of the watershed we think the Sage of Monticello would come down on. The little secret is from Jefferson's point of view I believe he would say that to worry about getting the "right answer" misses the point - assembling and entering into a free exchange of ideas is the "right answer." He would be very proud - Jefferson believed in the collective wisdom of the people and, left free to develop that wisdom, the country would do just fine.

What would a 2008 Jeffersonian party platform look like? Let’s start with a mission statement and a listing the platform planks:

Mission Statement
The Jeffersonian Party is dedicated to…(TBD)

Platform
1. Domestic Policy
      a. Education
      b. TBD
2. Foreign Policy
      a. TBD
3. TBD




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