I am amused to hear the overused, grand pronouncements about the “founding fathers”, especially from the Tea Party.  No groups could be further apart.

• Group #1 – activist, creatively intellectual, well educated (Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, etc.), scientists, lawyers, theologians and philosophers, generally to quite rich, taking immense risks committing treason and risking death (in potential failure and capture and in war on the ground) because of personal principles

• Group #2 – filled with an unrealized rage at reality, with some happy to cash in or grab for power by saying the most outrageous things without foundation, denigrating education and religious freedom (for others) rampantly, and operating from self-interest

The founding fathers (take your pick of definition:  those signing the Declaration of Independence, those framing the Constitution, or the big seven – Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton, Madison, and Jay) were the best in their fields.  Strong, principalled leaders.  Modest.

Where are the equivalent leaders today?