Quite objectively, I think everyone can agree that current day leaders are nowhere near the caliber of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
Actually, (if you really want to be "objective" about it) both Jefferson and Adams had many of the same flaws that you think you "see" in today's leaders. They were each close minded in their own ways, able to rationalize behavior and actions that went directly contrary to ideals that they stated in other contexts. Owning slaves (not to mention bedding at least one of them) was only the most egregious example, in the case of Jefferson. And in their own day, both Jefferson and Adams had detractors saying some pretty harsh things about them--indeed, what people said about Clinton was mild compared to what many said about Jefferson (though he too had many who also idolized him). Adams, for his part, was seen by many as a vain, pompous, stuffy politician who couldn't lead anyone out of a smoke filled room. There were good reasons why he was a one term president. As well as his son. They were both terrible leaders and politicians.
None of which means that they didn't have their own sort of genius, intelligence and decency, despite their many flaws. It means that they too were human (like, duh) and idealizing them (and the other "Founders") is simply wrong. Though certainly human. |
