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Would you vote for Thomas Jefferson?

Would you vote for Thomas Jefferson?

  • Yes

    Votes: 19 63.3%

  • No

    Votes: 11 36.7%
  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .
Well, I'll be the first to ask the only question that matters. Is he running as a Republican, Democrat, or something else?
 
It really depends on whether or not he would be able to accept and promote 21st century values. If he insisted on allowing slavery and denying women the right to vote, obviously I would not be able to vote for his outdated views. And even then, I'm not sure an 18th century mind would be able to comprehend and properly deal with modern problems. Not that I think the minds of any of the current candidates would fare much better...
 
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At the time, Jefferson's stances were very progressive. Today, you would consider his stances on things like slavery to be barbaric.

The zeitgeist has moved substantially since then. I would not vote for Jefferson now, but I would have back then.
 
BenBurch said:
If Thomas Jefferson were alive today and running for President, would you (assuming Americans here) vote for him?
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Anybody alive after so long is clearly using uncanny powers, or else is a robot or alien. Which could be either a plus or a minus, depending on what you think the presidency is all about. We've already had a vampire president (Monroe), a woman president disguised as a man (Coolidge), and even a Catholic (Kennedy). So Jefferson Saint-Germain wouldn't be a necessarily bad choice, although I think there'd be a constitutional issue because of term limits. Does that amendment count past terms, or just the ones after it was ratified? If he got in on a technicality, it might breed resentment.

But he really couldn't win if he were using dark powers to preserve his longevity, because to get elected in this country you have to attend church and he'd be stuck down by lightning on entering one. I guess he'd be safe if he were doing it via nanotechnology from the future, though.
 
TragicMonkey said:
Anybody alive after so long is clearly using uncanny powers, or else is a robot or alien. Which could be either a plus or a minus, depending on what you think the presidency is all about. We've already had a vampire president (Monroe), a woman president disguised as a man (Coolidge), and even a Catholic (Kennedy). So Jefferson Saint-Germain wouldn't be a necessarily bad choice, although I think there'd be a constitutional issue because of term limits. Does that amendment count past terms, or just the ones after it was ratified? If he got in on a technicality, it might breed resentment.
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If the dead can vote, then surely they should be allowed to field a candidate too.
 
If Jefferson did magically come back to life then he would only live long enough to turn over in his grave.
 
Nick Bogaerts said:
If the dead can vote, then surely they should be allowed to field a candidate too.
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How quick they forget.

Melvin Eugene "Mel" Carnahan (February 11, 1934 – October 16, 2000) was an American politician who was Governor of Missouri from 1993 to 2000. A Democrat, he died in a plane crash on the Pevely and Hillsboro, Missouri border during a campaign for the U.S. Senate, after which he was elected posthumously to the office.
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The Democrats elected a dead guy. I always thought you had to living in the state to be a Senator? This guy wasn’t living anywhere. He was dead.




Would I vote for Jefferson? Yeah, just to shake it up a little.
 
Yes but only if he has an affable tv friendly personality, occasionally makes one liner zingers, has a commanding presence and deep voice, and rock star like charisma. Also he better not come across as too much of an intellectual nerdy know-it-all that can't act like an ordinary blue collar average American. Come to think of it I only really want to vote for myself for president, screw Jefferson.
 
Next question: Lets say Christopher Columbus were alive today - Chris Columbus for commander of the Space Shuttle? Oh I know he'd probably blow it up the first few times - it's been hundreds of years after all. He'd just need to hit his stride but how sweet would that be - Christopher Columbus the commander of the Space Shuttle?
 
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The Painter said:
The Democrats elected a dead guy. I always thought you had to living in the state to be a Senator? This guy wasn’t living anywhere. He was dead.
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Well, Painter, you didn't mention that he was running againist John Ashcroft, and the people of Missouri apparently though a dead man would be btter for them than Ashcroft...

Seriously, I recall it was announced that his wife would be appointed if his name got the most votes, so the voters knew who would hold the office if they voted for rigor mortis Mel...
 
I just can't imagine any brit asking "Would you vote for Pitt the Younger?" What is this bizarre fascinations U.S.A people have for the Founding Fathers? Is it some kind of secular religion, or a failure to recognise the genetic fallacy, or something else entirely? Not thread crapping because I think it is a fascinating question - yes I would vote for Jefferson, because I historically sympathise with his position, but the wider questions I ask confuse me. I jsut don't get this at all!
 
I wouldn't vote for Jefferson but I might vote for Franklin. Certainly Hamilton. Probably Adams (sr)
 
corplinx said:
I would not vote for Jefferson now, but I would have back then.
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"...but I would have back then"

You being the person you are now, or you as the person you might have been in the late 18th, early 19th century?
 
cj.23 said:
I just can't imagine any brit asking "Would you vote for Pitt the Younger?" What is this bizarre fascinations U.S.A people have for the Founding Fathers? Is it some kind of secular religion, or a failure to recognise the genetic fallacy, or something else entirely? Not thread crapping because I think it is a fascinating question - yes I would vote for Jefferson, because I historically sympathise with his position, but the wider questions I ask confuse me. I jsut don't get this at all!
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Our country was officially formed with the constitution. The interpretation of the constitution plays a role in every aspect of our government. The "founding fathers" wrote the constitution so their intent becomes a vital key in interpreting what the constitution means. If you prefer a more jaded view, the manipulation of their perceived intent is key to manipulating the system.
 
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