Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for February 7, 2020
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
February 7, 2020: On February 8, 1788, the 51st Federalist Paper was published in the New York Packet.[1] James Madison’s column was part of a series encouraging the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. In Federalist 51, he explained the virtues of requiring checks and balances in any system of government.
He also identified the central challenge that must be faced when creating a new government:
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”[1]
This year, I have been re-reading the Federalist Papers and once again discovering how relevant their 18th-century wisdom remains in the 21st century. My belief is that drawing upon that wisdom can point our nation to an even brighter future.[2]
For that reason, I have recently released five columns connecting the thoughts of our founders to the issues facing our society today. New columns will be released each Monday by the Deseret News.
- I challenged myself to read one of the Federalist Papers every day. Here’s what I’ve learned so far
- Not all advice in the Federalist Papers is good, but we can learn from it anyway
- What was Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a great nation?
- The truth about special interest politics in America
- How the Experience of 21st Century Auto Companies Highlights the Wisdom of James Madison
I recognize, of course, that the founders of our government were far from perfect. They had some horrific blind spots and their analysis wasn’t always on the mark. After all, they were men, not angels. And, it should be noted, the Constitution they gave us wasn’t perfect either.
At the same time, the men who gathered to draft our Constitution gave great and careful thought to a foundational question about power and politics. Their thoughts are a national treasure that we ignore at our peril.[2]
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- February 6, 2020 –10.3 percent of workers belong to a labor union
- February 5, 2020 –4,309-foot-long smuggling tunnel under U.S.-Mexican border
- February 4, 2020 –61 percent of American adults are lonely
- February 3, 2020 –3 ways for candidates to declare victory in the Iowa caucuses
- January 31, 2020 –17.2 billion dollars to be spent on Super Bowl parties
- To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.
The Number of the Day is broadcast on local stations across the country. An archive of these broadcasts can be found here.
Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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See also
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