This is one of the reasons why our founding fathers were some of the wisest men ever.

[shockey80]

When they wrote the constitution they understood human nature. They recognized their own faults and the faults of all people.

They knew people needed laws, a constitution that protected the people from themselves and from people with power. They knew people could never to be trusted to always do the right thing.

With all their faults our founding fathers were amazing men. Their wisdom is what is protecting us at this very moment.

My favorites are John Adams and Thomas Paine.

[Dennis Donovan]

1. I'm a huge fan of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson...

[shockey80]

2. Jefferson was a great man but he had some issues to say the least.

[marylandblue]

3. Not to take away from them, but I don't think the Constitution is doing a very good job right now

They did a good job for the time, but they could not see into the future. The document is old and creaky and needs a rewrite, but a Constitutional Convention now would create something much worse. Three things protecting us are an independent judiciary, Republican dysfunction, and the civil service. The founders didn't anticipate political parties, so didn't have anything to say about them. They also didn't have a concept of an independent civil service, that came much later. Thankfully they gave us the Judiciary Branch which we still have fortunately, but it's only good as long as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy stay on.

[unblock]

6. However it's faring now, it's remarkable how long it has endured

I don't think any of the founders would have wagered on the constitution lasting anything near this long. Had it lasted only 50 years they would have considered it wildly successful.

The real problem is that the power of businesses is eclipsing the power of nations, thanks in part to globalization and the changing nature of business. It's no longer as easy for a government to just take over or shut down a business, so it's harder to keep them in check. As a result, business had used their power to corrupt the institutions of government and political reporting.

As businesses merge into mega-multinationals, I think governments can only keep up by effectively merging as well. The European Union has considerable control over businesses, and the world needs more mergers like that to keep up.

Imho.

[marylandblue]

7. Business has had too much power for over a century

Corporate personhood dates back to a 19th century misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment and we've been stuck with it ever since. But I do think your right, we need a transnational system to control big business. Maybe we are closer to that than we think.

[BannonsLiver]

11. Hard to fault them for assault weapons

But where I get off the “the founders we’re geniuses” train is in regards to some of the problems we have no mechanism to deal with, like having do over elections when things like 2000 come up. Drumpf could have been revealed to be a KGB agent but there would have been no way to remedy that between the election and inauguration. We could have a massive hurricane devastate the east coast, wrecking the election. Hard to vote when your house is under water, and yet there is no mechanism to postpone an election. There are all kinds of examples of obvious procedural stuff they never thought of.

[greeny2323]

4. Jefferson and Madison

For their work on separating church and state in Virginia. And also Madison's amazing work at the convention in Philadelphia.

[shockey80]

5. I would consider Jefferson the greatest american if he had freed his slaves upon his death.

I believe Washington did do this.

[doc03]

8. I don't think they ever anticipated a political party with no moral

compass or loyalty to the country over party. By all rights Trump would have never got the electorial vote.

[shockey80]

9. I believe the founding fathers wanted us to adjust, change, add to the constitution as time changed.

I completely disagree with originalists. They make no sense. They do not consider that time changes things.

[shockey80]

10. Would the founding fathers approve of military assault rifles?

I doubt it. They would see that as a threat to the republic.

[Irish_Dem]

12. I love Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin.

But yes Adams and Paine too.

[moondust]

13. Very wise; however,

there's no way they or anyone else could possibly anticipate all the greedy tricks and scams and power grabs that bad people might dream up over time to serve their lust for money and power. Thus, ongoing wisdom is necessary to adapt to changing conditions and technologies as they arise. A few current examples in need of "adaptation" IMO: 2nd Amendment, Citizens United/money in politics, voting machines, gerrymandering, and voter suppression.

[SweetieD]

14. There are better constitutions in the world. Germany and South Africa for example.

I do not like that our constitution is based on negative rights rather than affirmative ones. It has caused a lot of problems in our society.