Tune in to your local public radio or join the 1776 Club to hear this episode of What Would Thomas Jefferson Do?
For further reading regarding this episode, take a look at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation's file on the quote, often attributed to Jefferson: "That government is best which governs least."
Also of interest is Jefferson's letter to James Madison, made available by the University of Chicago, where the third president writes, "I own I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive."
"It's essential for us to have a very limited government."
"If the people are well-informed, they will make wise decisions."
On November 9th, the day after the midterms, Clay Jenkinson and Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky share their early impressions and insights on what occurred during the 2022 election. Most administrations lose many congressional seats in off-year elections, but it didn’t happen this year. They speculate on what message this sends to both political parties and discuss issues that affected the results.
This week Clay responds to listener mail, including many comments regarding a previous show about Shays' Rebellion, and what Jefferson's reaction would be to the insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021.
The events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 dominated the thoughts of most citizens last week. Clay Jenkinson offers his own thoughts and historical perspective along with comments from Jefferson Hour contributors Beau Wright, David Nicandri and Joseph Ellis.
In an earlier program, the Thomas Jefferson Hour presented a discussion between Clay Jenkinson and Professor Joseph Ellis about monuments and the potential removal of some, and how we as citizens can come to better understand this issue. This week we present thoughts on this subject received from our listeners.