Fellow Freepers. My daughter is arguably the most influential student at her middle school of 600 or so students amid a very liberal region. She has consistently resisted my debriefing of her mother's (former) ideas of left vs. right. (Her mother though being raised in an INCREDIBLY liberal family has nonetheless been swayed by simple logic over the years.) If there is one thing that my daughter and I can benefit from it is the collective wisdom and knowledge available on FR. God bless our men and women in uniform and God bless all of you who find the time to educate my daughter. I will now introduce her to Free Republic.

The above lesson assignment is my daughter's homework.

impressive assignment for middle school....I am in high school and haven't had anythinng like that.

I can tell you that last Memorial Day the band played "The Light Eternal" after the band director told the story behind it and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

B) Explain your ideas about the role of government based on your past experiences, reading, etc. Provide sufficient details to support your argument.

Don't know how to improve on Jefferson.

Come on. This is a chance to influence some people.

"Don't know how to improve on Jefferson"

Don't want to improve on Jefferson. Want to present the facts and let the media sheeple learn.

Hmm ... a litle tough considering that TJ doesn't really say what a government is SUPPOSED to do, rather what it's NOT supposed to do, other than to declare the unalienable rights and also that "... to secure these rights governments are instituted among men deriving their just power from the consent of the governed. What would definitely be be worth a read are his two inauguration speeches.

I have a 13 year old daughter in middle school myself. To quote somebody we've all heard before, "I feel your pain."

sounds like AP american history. for A. you could say that Jefferson wanted the federal government to be small, as shown in his hesitation in the lusianna purchase as that power was not speciffically givin to him in the constitution. Note that although Jefferson was a "democrat-republican" he was not a republican as known today.

Jefferson wanted smaller federal military. His view on states was diffrent as shown in his virginia-kentucky resolutions written annonymousely by jefferson. The point to part B is to say that government is vastly diffrent today then jefferson intended. Note that Jefferson wanted america to be a land of small time farmers, not big time manufacturing that eventually succeeded (nothing against farmers).

Jefferson did do many things to compromise with the federalists, such as the national bank and hammilton's debt repayment (fighters in the revolution got screwed because they sold their "war bonds" to spectators because they thought they were worth nothing, Hammilton wanted to give money to whoever had them, jefferson wanted them returned to their origional owners.)

im kinda goin by memory, might wanna double check some stuff, and sorry about spelling, english aint me strong subject.

Don't know how to improve on Jefferson.

Jefferson didnt like military + most business.

"Hmm ... a litle tough considering that TJ doesn't really say what a government is SUPPOSED to do, rather what it's "NOT supposed to do, other than to declare the unalienable rights and also that "... to secure these rights governments are instituted among men deriving their just power from the consent of the governed. What would definitely be be worth a read are his two inauguration speeches. I have a 13 year old daughter in middle school myself. To quote somebody we've all heard before, "I feel your pain"

I don't have any pain. She is just like her mom. She will listen to logic if it is presented in a proper and non-threatening way. She's 14 and like f@@@@@g Mary Poppins practically perfect in every way. She had the forethought to present this assignment to me for help. She knew that I dwell of FR.

You, sir, will be part of my daughter's homework. Thank-you for the input.

I know that Jefferson did not like military. Now my daughter knows. Thank-you for your comment. Many others will now hear it. Do you think that anyone else in that middle school will pick up on the fact that Jefferson did not like standing armies?

hey, the military is not the point, its the federal military, Jefferson was all for state militias, like the second ammendment says.

Bump. Come on guys and girls, we are trying to root out decades of government largesse.

Thanks.

>I don't have any pain. She is just like her mom. She will listen to logic if it is presented in a proper and non-threatening way.

That was strictly tongue in cheek. The "pain" is that of having a bright child who is capable of thinking independently at school amongst the liberal throng.

Luckily my daughter is smart enough to ask questions when things don't ring true to her and I couldn't be prouder. You're fortunate to have a child that's comfortable enough to come to you with questions like this.

And btw, I still heartily recommend a read of Jefferson's inauguration speeches. The word "eloquent" doesn't even do them justice.

Recall that Jefferson was out of the country during the Consitutional debates in Philadelphia. Most of his "input" came thru correspondence with Madison, et al.

His feelings on "term limits" was legend. He generally followed the Whig tradition of "rotation in office" which meant that a representative would serve no more than twice and then have to return to live under the laws he passed.

"And btw, I still heartily recommend a read of Jefferson's inauguration speeches. The word "eloquent" doesn't even do them justice."

I was just wondering if you had a link to his speeches. By the way, it sounds like your daughter is one incredible person.

Thank-you for your input.