How is it many today have become ignorant of our founding principles?

“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.” -- Thomas Jefferson

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Is it not ironic that Thomas Jefferson is an icon of the Democrat Party? And that he would be on record believing that government, in order to be “good” government,” should be minimal and stay out of the way of individuals’ efforts to profit from their labor?

With understanding of the founding fathers and their belief systems that created our nation and Constitution, I wonder at the annual Democrat Party “Jefferson-Jackson Dinner” fundraisers.

Do those who attend even know the belief systems of their icons?

What I find frighteningly clear – and the fear escalates during election years – is not just the existence of general ignorance of ideology and political principles, but profound misunderstanding of the very meaning and philosophical basis upon which our country was built. Not one of our founders ever envisioned or agreed to form a nation based economically on redistribution of wealth, politically on pure democracy, societally on class division, morally on relativism or with an absence of religion.

We were founded as a Republic based on the principles of inalienable rights that were granted by our Creator. Not government given, but God given.

Even if one does not believe in God, one can understand inalienable rights. They are not bestowed by government; they exist above and beyond government. They are “natural rights.”

We the people form governments to ensure and protect those inalienable, natural rights.

With that said, the question needs to be asked: How have Americans citizens become so carelessly ignorant of our founding principles that there is room to argue about whether an enormous Federal government, over-reaching its authority, crippling its wealth producers and accruing mountains of debt, is morally and economically responsible?

We now find ourselves in a society that includes many who believe that certain people -- i.e. elected or appointed officials -- can and should decide how much of our own hard-earned bread we keep and how much the government confiscates and spends without our consent. Oh, and, borrows in order to keep spending, thus putting future generations into deep debt.

Thomas Jefferson is surely rolling over in his grave.