This evening, I found myself watching C-SPAN's coverage of the Iowa Jefferson-Jackson dinner. There were two reasons for this: (1) KU had finished its utter destruction of Oklahoma State (KU being 10-0 now for the first time since 1899), and (2) the Democratic candidates for President were speaking. Normally, the Jefferson-Jackson dinners held across the country are just excuses for the modern Democrats to extoll their own virtues, complain about the President, and party like its the aforementioned 1899. However, on this night, Hillary, Obama, Edwards, and the Also-Rans took the stage to whip the beleaguered dinner-goers into a political frenzy of Jeffersonian proportions. At the end of the evening, emcee Nancy Pelosi (yes, you read that correctly) declared that Jefferson and Jackson would be proud of these candidates.

I think the Democratic Party needs a history lesson.

Thomas Jefferson was a fierce states-rights libertarian, something nowhere to be found in the modern Democratic party. His libertarian soul is heard in the Declaration of Independence, and he was infuriated when slight changes were made to his work. He butted heads with Alexander Hamilton over the financing of the Revolutionary War, with a belief so strongly in the rights of the state that he did not believe the national debt should be equally shared among the states.

He (anonymously) authored the Virginia Resolution which held that any powers exercised by the federal government but not specifically delegated to it by the Constitution were voidable by the states. Try getting Hillary Clinton to say that Kansas has the right not to participate in Social Security, or a national health care plan. You'd have more luck trying to light water on fire.

Jefferson the President was even more un-Democratic (using the term as it is held today by the Democratic political party). He pushed for smaller government, lower taxes, and to pay off the national debt. Modern Democrats would have a collective heart attack at the prospect of any one of those three, let alone them all together.

"But!" modern liberals are quick to exclaim, "Jefferson was responsible for the separation of church and state." Technically, this is not true. Jefferson was responsible for the phrase "separation of church and state" but the concept of disestablishmentarianism started in Europe, and by the time of colonial America, there was already a freedom of religion. However, Jefferson did write that he wanted to establish a "wall of separation between church and state" -- this didn't meant that there was to be no church within a state, as seems to be the interpretation of modern day. Jefferson's pronouncement was in a January 1, 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut, because they were concerned the Congregationalists were to become the official church. That can't happen, was what Jefferson reassured them. The entire letter is available here.

The case for Andrew Jackson is no better. Andy was the hero of the battle of New Orleans, where the Americans soundly trounced the invading British to culiminate the War of 1812. (Actually, the signing of the Treaty of Ghent two weeks prior on Christmas Eve 1814 actually ended the war, but the news of the treaty signing did not cross the pond from Belgium to America until after the Battle of New Orleans had already been fought, and won.) Who was the last war hero Democratic President?

Bill Clinton (1993-2001) Never served in the military.
Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Attended the US Naval Academy in physics and served on submarines doing scientific analysis for seven years; was not in combat and did not command any troops.
Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969) As a member of the Naval Reserves, he spent the first part of WWII inspecting shipyard facilities in Texas. He was later awarded the Silver Star when the B-26 he was flying on turned around and went back to base before being attacked or reaching its objective.
John F Kennedy (1961-63) Actually saw combat in WWII when his boat, the PT-109 was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. When asked later by a reporter how he became a "war hero," Kennedy famously responded: "It was involuntary. They sank my boat."
Harry Truman (1945-1953) Commanded troops and rose to the rank of Colonel in the National Guard, seeing combat and commanding Battery D, 129th Field Artillery, 60th Brigade, 35th Infantry Division in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France.

So in short, you'd have to go back more than 60 years to find a Democratic president who (A) served in the military; (B) saw military combat; and (C) commanded troops. Though not even all that technically classifies a person as a "war hero."

I don't think Andrew Jackson would be impressed.

As an aside, during that 60 year time frame, the Republicans saw the following war heroes:
Dwight D Eisenhower (1953-1961) Five Star General in the United States Army, Supreme Allied Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during WWII, and the very first Supreme Commander of NATO. Largely responsible for the successful liberation of France and Germany from Hitler's grasp in WWII.
George Bush (1989-1993) Fighter pilot during WWII; according to the Naval Historical Center: "On 2 September 1944, Bush piloted one of four aircraft from VT-51 that attacked the Japanese installations on Chi Chi Jima. ... During their attack, four TBM Avengers from VT-51 encountered intense antiaircraft fire. While starting the attack, Bush's aircraft was hit and his engine caught on fire. He completed his attack and released the bombs over his target scoring several damaging hits. With his engine on fire, Bush flew several miles from the island ... For this action, Bush received the Distinguished Flying Cross."

But I digress...

Jackson does hold the distinction of being the only President to ever completely pay off the national debt, the one and only time in our nation's history that feat has been accomplished. Further, Jackson was opposed to the kind of nationalization of programs that even most conservatives today will grant is necessary: the national bank. He believed it concentrated to great a power in the hands of a few at the federal level, and he revoked the bank's charter. He also signed the Indian Removal Act which -- this will be a shocker, given its ambiguous name -- removed Indians from the land Americans wanted.

Jacksonian democracy was characterized by a strict, literal interpretation of the Constitution (I do believe Ruth Bader Ginsburg would engage in serious tut-tuttery if Jackson was around) and laissez-faire economics (second notice to Mrs Clinton).

There are many, many more reasons as to why the modern Democrats don't get to claim the posterity of Jefferson and Jackson, but I'll stop here for tonight. Its just too bad the Democratic Presidential candidates aren't talking about all that.

Labels: Democrats, History