Repairing Jefferson’s America: A Guide to Civility and Enlightenment
The Legislative Initiative
The American republic is in crisis. I believe Jeffersonian principles of civility and enlightenment can help repair the United States, both its political culture and our individual lives. My new book, Repairing Jefferson’s America: A Guide for Civility and Enlightenment, explores the ways we can renew Jeffersonian democracy and help each of us become our best selves. My dream is to put a copy of this book in the hands of every legislator in America—all fifty states and, if possible, every member of Congress.
Obviously, I cannot afford to do this by myself, but with your help, we can.
Our publisher is making advance copies of this book available for this initiative at cost. I am waving my royalties, credit for books sold, and any profit from this initiative as well, contributing my intellectual property as a sign of respect for Jeffersonian principles. It was Jefferson who said, “He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.” Your role would be to contribute to the cost of printing and shipping the appropriate number of books.
Current status (8/31/21):
US Congress, Washington, DC: 535 members of Congress, donation by Michael Khandelwal, distributed May 2021
Virginia: 140 legislative members, donation by Mr. John Koehler, distributed February 2020
Nevada: 63 legislative members, donation by Mr. James Kenyon, PhD, distributed April 2020
Michigan: 148 legislative members, donation by Mr. Mike Cox, distributed May 2020
Texas: 181 legislative members, donation by Mr. Joe Lovell, distributed June 2020
Oregon: 90 legislative members, donation by Mr. Michael Ingram and friends, distributed August 2020
South Carolina: 170 legislative members, donation by Mr. Connor Wentling, distributed September 2020
California: 120 legislative members, donations by Mr. Dan Alexander and Mr. Roger Lampkin, distributed Fall 2020
North Dakota: 141 legislative members, donation by Mr. Grant Syverson, distribution underway
Colorado: 100 legislative members, donations by Mr. David Carter and Mr. Benjamin Howe, distributed October 2020
Idaho: 105 legislative members, donation by an anonymous Idaho citizen, distributed November 2020
New York: 213 legislative members, donation by Mr. Gregg Schenker (state Senate), distributed December 2020
Maryland: 188 legislative members, donation by Mr. Leo Steffen, distributed January 2021
New Jersey: 120 legislative members, donation by Mr. Glenn Harris (state Senate), distributed February 2021
Louisiana: 144 legislative members, contributor inquiries received
How this all got started
A Virginia legislator named Jason Miyares contacted me some time ago to say that he was an admirer of the Thomas Jefferson Hour. He introduced a resolution of praise and appreciation for my work in the Virginia House of Delegates, and it passed! He invited me to come to Richmond to receive the commendation in person. I did so at the end of February 2020. You can watch the ceremony here.
Just at that time, advance copies of my new book, Repairing Jefferson’s America: A Guide to Civility and Enlightenment, became available. My publisher and I decided that it would be a wonderful thing to put a copy of my book in the hands of every Virginia legislator. We shared the cost of this because I feel so strongly that what American needs is a resurgence of Jeffersonian democracy, with its commitment to science, rationality, civility, majority rule, tolerance, education, and justice. I was able to sign a copy for each legislator.
How it works
You (perhaps with friends or other Jeffersonians) pay the cost of printing and shipping the books. The publisher Koehler Books of Norfolk, Virginia, waves all of its fees for this special initiative. I sign the books and include an insert in each book explaining what we are trying to do in the national arena. We ship the books to your state’s capitol. Capitol pages and aides distribute the books to each member of the House and Senate.
If the legislature is willing, you could be there on the day of the distribution. In some cases you may be mentioned by the person who presides over one or both of the chambers.
Ideally, you would be willing to come on the Jefferson Hour for an interview about why you want to do this, what you think it might help happen, and how you built support for the project. The interview would be aired on the Thomas Jefferson Hour.
How to contribute
We can easily accept financial contributions online. Once you express interest in supporting this initiative, our staff would be in touch with you to work that out.
Your reward
We’ll send you a specially signed copy of the book, of course, and a letter of thanks from me. You’ll have the satisfaction of putting a guide to Jeffersonian democracy into the hands of the people of your state who make decisions about how to spend your hard-earned money, regulate lives and economic activity, set public policy, administer the criminal justice system, and support public institutions.
The next step
If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please contact us here.
Here’s my point. I’m a Jeffersonian, which means that I believe that ideas matter, that humans can be persuaded, that well-meaning people (your representatives) want to do the right thing in the public square but sometimes lose sight of the principles that brought them into office. You are a Jeffersonian, too, or you would not have found this idea compelling. I believe, as the Enlightenment put it, in the “perfectibility of man” (and woman!), in what Jefferson called the “amelioration of the condition of mankind.” I think if even some legislators in your state read this book--which has much more to do with Jefferson’s greatness, not my work in writing it—it may change the “atmosphere” of the legislative process. Dr. Samuel Johnson (one of my favorite authors) said, “Men more frequently require to be reminded than informed.” I certainly know this: you don’t get what you don’t ask for. I am asking the representatives of America to return to a dedication to commonwealth values. You can help. If we can do this together, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you were part of the solution, not the problem.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you have even enquired about this project.
Clay Jenkinson