I found this garbage on a Facebook site "Reagan Conservative"

[Harry Monroe]

"What we need is another Thomas Jefferson,he is the true founder of Conservatism and exactly what this country needs about now. We have lost our moral compass and are losing our Capilistic society. Jefferson knew way back then that a liberal way of thinking was detrimental to our way of life and must always be put in check and battled"


I wouldn't consider Jefferson a founder of Conservatism, would you? Discuss.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Nope, he wasn't... you could make a case, that he was somewhat of a libertarian

but that is pulling some strings

I mean the common good is not a principle of the modern American conservative movement

[Ernesto]

3. If you'd care to check it.............

He wasn't even a Christian.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. He was a deist

next question

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Jefferson was the one who said that a little revolution now and then

was good for a nation. He wrote the bulk of the Declaration of Independence, which is hardly a conservative document. He sided with revolutionary France in the 1790s as well.

On the other hand, he was for more state's rights and less government intervention. And he was a slave holder, not even freeing slaves that were either conceived by him or his nephews when he had a chance.

But overall I wouldn't call him a conservative. A conservative back in those times would have been someone like, say, Benedict Arnold or Tarleton--both backed the British during the American Revolution.

[Warren DeMontague]

4. Thomas Jefferson would be fucking APPALLED at the Theocratic Nutfucks who run the GOP.

He would have absolutely no use for their Flat, 6000 year old Earth "Christian Nation" idiocy.

[bluestateguy]

5. Jefferson would have despised the religious fundy wackjobs

And the GOP's contempt for science.

He would have opposed the neo-cons militarism as well.

[Still Sensible]

6. No chance whatsoever that Jefferson would be a

conservative republican.

[Fire1]

7. I would love to know where these dim wits get their info. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. That's easy... the same place they go for new deal revisionist history

[Fire1]

11. Then I should say, 'misinformation.'

[tooko13]

10. Depending how you use the word conservative

If you define conservative as it is typically meant in the
U.S. today then...No.  However, if you define conservative as
it has been defined historically then the case could be made. 
Chomsky has talked a lot about the idea that how we currently
define conservatism and liberalism in the U.S. is exactly the
opposite of their previous meanings...that is why when you
read papers from lets say South America you will see the right
wing movement called...Neo-liberal.  What the person is
probably doing is using a source that attributes conservative
(historical meaning) ideals arising from Jefferson, but the
person doesn't know or doesn't care that the meaning of
conservative has been transposed.

[Ernesto]

12. Welcome tooko13

Glad to see you're wearing your thinkin' cap!

[Coffee and Cake]

13. I would say Edmund Burke is the founder of Conservatism.

[snake in the grass]

14. ...or Russell Kirk.

[Odin2005]

15. A new Freeperism!!! "Capilistic"

:rofl:

Jefferson was an "Agrarianist" (anti-industrialization) Left-Libertarian bordering on anarchist, skeptical of both government power and business.