How could you include little Jemmy and George Washington and omit Thomas J?
I could have easily included many of the founders, but chose Washington because he is the rock from which this nation was built (and personally very conservative) and little James because he was MOST responsible for the drafting of the constitution.
Thomas was more egalitarian and libertarian, and deserves much credit in history. However, I think Ben Franklin was the wisest of the bunch.
Uh, probably because the more you learn of Jefferson the less admirable he appears. He was the most overrated of American presidents.
Thomas Jefferson was sympathetic to the Jacobin Revolution in France and was supported by Jacobinical types in his political career. Ironically, it was the "secular northeast" that was terrified of Jacobinism while the cavalier South tended to be friendly, if only because it preferred Continental Europe to capitalist-mercantilist Britain.
Of course, Madison and Monroe were pro-French too.