like citizens in Mexico.
Some of us actually believe that the founding fathers were very liberal and progressive individuals. I believe that if the founders were transported via time machine to our world today, they would be gun owning Democrats.
Liberal Today, Liberal 220 years ago, Thomas Paine***snip***
The Founders used a market with corporate control, regulation and protectionism. A corporation in our Founders time could not cross state lines and could not last longer than the normal life of a man, only 10 to 40 years. Adam Smith states this in his “Wealth of Nations” twelve times. The Founders feared Corporate power as much as a tyrannical government. They would be appalled at what rights and power the corporations have today.
Today’s Liberals are forward thinking, open minded, cares about the welfare of the people, their health, housing, education, employment, civil rights, and their civil liberties. The Founders were very progressive thinkers. The documents that they authored (Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and Bill of Rights) are based primarily on four “liberal” principles. 1. Equality of rights and opportunity. 2. E Pluribus Unum (unity within diversity), 3. Religious freedom, 4. The government’s responsibility to protect individual liberty while simultaneously ensuring our collective well-being. Meaning they were forward thinking, open minded, cares about the welfare of the people, their health, housing, education, employment, civil rights, and their civil liberties. Sounds pretty close to me.
***snip***
Thomas Paine was for progressive taxation, an estate tax and for social welfare. He proposed Social Security in 1793, supporter of animal welfare, early supporter of feminism and women’s rights, believed in free education and government employment that is paid for by the estate taxes. Sounds like a Modern Day Liberal to me.
For most if not all this information, try reading his “Rights of Man” vol 1 and 2, “Agrarian Justice” and “The Necessity of Taxation”. You can find some of it online for free of you can buy the book, Thomas Paine, Collected Writings, provided by the Library of America. You can also download Adam Smiths, “Wealth of Nations” for free in PDF.
http://www.rejecttheherd.net/blog/iratus-aves-hominis/liberal-today-liberal-220-years-ago-thomas-paine And what did Thomas Paine say abut firearm ownership?
"The supposed quietude of a good mans allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms like laws discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside...Horrid mischief would ensue were one half the world deprived of the use of them..." (Thomas Paine, I Writings of Thomas Paine at 56 <1894>) Of course, other founding fathers were very pro-gun.
"Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence … from the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable … the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that's good."George Washington
First President of the United States
"The great object is that every man be armed." and "Everyone who is able may have a gun."Patrick Henry
American Patriot
"Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?"Patrick Henry
American Patriot
"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."Thomas Jefferson
Third President of the United States
edited for typo