The Party
by Ted Lang, Associate Editor

November 27, 2002

In his brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning book "John Adams" [Simon & Schuster], David McCullough captures not only the deeds, events, writings and oratory of one of the greatest Americans in this Republic’s brief history, but has the creative talent to draw out and display the great man’s character as well. McCullough clearly conveys to the reader Adams’ sobering realization and deflated classical liberal momentum caused by the corruption of purpose via political expediency.

It was the political maneuvering for power in the new government where Adams’ naiveté becomes evident through McCullough’s interpretation. Adams’ disappointment over the petty angling by such as Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton is made evident.

Adams felt that the moral and spiritual clarity of purpose should take precedence over all other considerations, including those centered on the distribution of political stations within the public service. Perhaps the naiveté of all the Founders, save possibly Benjamin Franklin, was exposed as regards their thinking that the perfect society created on paper in the form of the Constitution could endure in spite of human foible.

Perhaps this is why George Washington was the greatest American of all. He put his life on the line defying King George’s condemnation of treason, and endured the horrible suffering of leading a ragtag, ill-equipped underfunded "army" of farmers. He had the option of becoming America’s first king, but chose instead a limited presidency. He acted totally in accordance with the powers granted to him in the Constitution.

As Washington was refreshingly devoid of political intrigue, so too was John Adams, his vice-president and our second president. But political machinations began to increasingly define our new republic.

As our Nation’s brief experiment "progressed," emphasis on political wrangling in order to gain the "spoils" of rule-making power heightened. Where such power was properly limited to the Congress, the Presidency now exceeds its station via "executive order" and the ability to declare war. Where questions of legality are to be interpreted, the Supreme Court and its lesser courts display legislative style judicial activism.

America has lost its way. Elected office was once considered as both an honor and a privilege, but above all, entailed personal sacrifice and selfless dedication. Adams was far from being a rich man, but had he concentrated on his law practice and lived life only for personal gain, he would have been very wealthy. And although Jefferson was very extravagant and squandered his wealth, he could have greatly enriched himself by avoiding public service and thereby debt and poverty.

Consider this against the backdrop of the astonishing cost of pursuing public office. Without the backing of The Party, how could any pers