“Our founders embraced the enduring truth that we are stronger together.” But, which founders, and which principles? In history, unlike in mythic memory, they fought like cats and dogs over every major issue, foreign and domestic. Our early politics were so edgy and shrill because the stakes involved were so high, as leaders and their followers struggled to define the revolution and Constitution. Politics were even more divided and violent in the era of the founders. While the mythic founders can inspire us to do better, we should be wary of inviting them to make us feel small. No generation will resolve our revolution and define our Constitution once and for all. We honor the founders best by sustaining their debates over core principles of government, rather than by pretending that they resolved everything for us."
At www.nytimes.com
