Was Congress and the Office of President intended to be in the hands of professional politicians, or did the Founding Fathers mean for private citizens to become involved in politics, to hold office for a few terms, and then to return to private life?
The idea was that the people would keep watch over their representatives and through their votes, making corrections as needed.
Public office was to be a public service, not a means for self-enrichment.
In contrast to some of our “public servants” of today who manage to become quite wealthy while in office, Jefferson himself deliberately avoided such use of the public trust
“I have the consolation of having added nothing to my private fortune during my public service and of retiring with hands as clean as they are empty.” –Thomas Jefferson to Diodati, 1807.
“Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on [offices] a rottenness begins in his conduct.” –Thomas Jefferson to T. Coxe, 1799.
The idea was that the people would keep watch over their representatives and through their votes, make needed corrections.
“Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights.” –Thomas Jefferson to W. Nicholas, 1806.
What Our Founding Fathers Intended
Was Congress and the Office of President intended to be in the hands of professional politicians, or did the Founding Fathers mean for private citizens to become involved in politics, to hold office for a few terms, and then to return to private life?
The idea was that the people would keep watch over their representatives and through their votes, making corrections as needed.
Public office was to be a public service, not a means for self-enrichment.
In contrast to some of our “public servants” of today who manage to become quite wealthy while in office, Jefferson himself deliberately avoided such use of the public trust
“I have the consolation of having added nothing to my private fortune during my public service and of retiring with hands as clean as they are empty.” –Thomas Jefferson to Diodati, 1807.
“Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on [offices] a rottenness begins in his conduct.” –Thomas Jefferson to T. Coxe, 1799.
The idea was that the people would keep watch over their representatives and through their votes, make needed corrections.
“Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights.” –Thomas Jefferson to W. Nicholas, 1806.
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