John Adams

Exciting new mini-series from HBO:

Starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, executive produced by Playtone's Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and directed by Emmy®-winner Tom Hooper, JOHN ADAMS is a seven-part epic miniseries event that explores American history through the eyes of one of its greatest founding fathers, John Adams (Giamatti), a fiercely independent spirit whose unwavering vision steered America through a tumultuous period.

Odd casting, but TCRB LOVES Laura Linney. Adams was of course, our second president, rival of Jefferson and father of our 6th president. John Adams, Jr. was, in turn, a rival of Andrew Jackson, as complicated a man and president as ever we have had (used, then slaughtered Native Americans, slave owner, adulterer, war hero and the only President to have a period of history to be named after him - the Jacksonian Period). Adams vs Jackson was the first dirty political campaign and the first battle between populism and elitism.

A friend asked me to define the Democratic ideal. Jackson, of course, founded the Democratic party (see how that came together?) to curb the excesses of big business in government. The Republican party was then founded to counter the Dems. What I learned, made me re-think my Republicanism, and reinforces my belief that we need a strong independent movement.

So, I’m going back to Andrew Jackson on this. The Dems are not supposed to be about an agenda, it is about protection of the rights of the individuals, and as such, will always evolve with the needs of the oppressed.

“There are no necessary evils in government. Its evils exist only in its abuses. If it would confine itself to equal protection, and, as Heaven does its rains, shower its favors alike on the high and the low, the rich and the poor, it would be an unqualified blessing."

That again, was:

"If it would confine itself to equal protection it would be an unqualified blessing.”

Sounds like the far right and the far left meeting on that political continuum.