KEEPING UP

One could spend the entire day keeping up with the news, one way or another. As Jefferson once wrote, it would be better not to read newspapers. He would probably repeat that advice today and include many other publications, perhaps most that bask in the sunlight of popularity. However, in his time, the newspaper was almost the exclusive source for the average person to learn what was going on.

But there was something else to read, a highly important newpaper source, that must have enlightened enough of the public to desire what America became. This highest recommendation of Jefferson’s for the reading of his day is probably the highest he would suggest for today’s readers. It’s called ThE FEDERALIST PAPERS, essays by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.

This volume belongs in a set with five other classics America needs to pay more attention to. He who wants to learn what America is all about should study the rest of them along with the above mentioned TFP. These are REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE by Edmund Burke; two volumes of THE WEALTH OF NATIONS by Adam Smith; and two volumes of DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA by Alexis de Tocqueville.

It is quite likely every winning and losing candidate for president of this country in 2016 will have a passing acquaintance with all these authors, but what we need is a candidate who believes in them and will work to lead America back to these basic American beliefs. And if the reading public is knowledgeable of the contents of these volumes, they will know what questions to ask candidates.♥♥♥