Alexander Hamilton, BTW -- who was technically one of our FFs, but attended the Constitutional Convention only briefly, bailing once it became clear that his plan for a centralized national government would not be seriously entertained -- was rather more forward-looking about the role national government could play in fostering a strong economy.
There has long been a dichotomy and conflict in American politics between the Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian traditions. However, to some extent this mischaracterizes Jefferson, who as POTUS became a loose-constructionist once the Louisiana Purchase was offered (despite his having searched diligently through the Constitution and found nothing he could read as authorizing the president to purchase more national territory -- so what, it was just too good a deal to pass up!), and also . . . well, see the second part of my sigline below.
There has long been a dichotomy and conflict in American politics between the Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian traditions. However, to some extent this mischaracterizes Jefferson, who as POTUS became a loose-constructionist once the Louisiana Purchase was offered (despite his having searched diligently through the Constitution and found nothing he could read as authorizing the president to purchase more national territory -- so what, it was just too good a deal to pass up!), and also . . . well, see the second part of my sigline below.
