founding fathers

The group of American leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence and/or framed the US Constitution. The largest gathering of political genius at one place and time ever seen in history. They created a system of government that has lasted for about 230 years. Architects of the most free, most prosperous, strongest country human history has ever seen. Those who say that the framers of the Constitution were trying to protect the interests of the wealthy really mean that they disapprove of the Constitution because it doesn't authorize redistribution of wealth, economic equality, and communism. The limited powers of the federal government, separation of powers, and the decentralization of power mean that no one is to be completely trusted with power. The left, however, believes in political messiahs and philosopher kings who are sincerely committed to the public interest. All you need to do to find permanent solutions to perennial social ills like poverty is to concentrate power in such people. The problem they have with the Constitution is that it paralyzes the government and prevents it from trying to engineer a utopian, fantasy- land society. However, if you don't believe in political saviors and philosopher kings and believe that people are selfish by nature and always will be, you'll recognize the prudent wisdom of the Founding Fathers in constructing a government with internal checks on its power.