Ideology is Easy. Principles are Difficult

There are those who maintain that the current paralysis in American politics is a direct result of the intentional inefficiencies incorporated into the Constitution to ensure that the government did not become an all-powerful institution which could easily fall prey to tyranny.

Why else would there be so many checks and balances throughout the structure be it the three centres of power at a federal level or the byzantine relationship between the individual states and the federal government.

These men were trying to emulate the Roman ideal of the Senate. They were honorable men. They were moral men. And they were virtuous men. 

So far so good. 

The first thing was to declare independence.  Then, after winning a war, was to write a Constitution.  From the start it took a lot of discussion, negotiation and in the end compromise.  It was also recognized that there could/would be amendments to it which would serve to clarify certain points but would not change its basic premises.

Despite all the intellectual capacity involved in the creation of the Declaration of Independence and the writing of the Constitution it must be remembered that this was a move from monarchial to democratic rule. The Declaration is a very measured document giving rights and responsibilities to the People. It opens the door to change, and in the same breadth cautions those thinking of change that it should "not be changed for light and transient causes" and essentially should only be invoked in the face of despotism.

They were not ideologues.  They certainly were not fanatics.  Indeed they were pragmatists. 

So how would they have addressed our current debt/default debacle?

Their approach to debt was that it was not a good thing under normal circumstances, but there were of course instances when it was necessary.  Their understanding of default was something that happened because one could not repay their debts.  Self-inflicted default as a result of ideological fanaticism would have been outside their realm of thinking.

They certainly would not have allowed a fanatical group- the Tea Party-to try and hold the government hostage.  They would not be happy with the debt burden we have, and so they would have worked hard to try and work out a reasonable way to find relief.

They would have had their own interests to mind, but would have put the interests of the United States above all else.

Those were the days.