Thread by @jbf1755

1/ What would the Founders say about millions of people under curfew?

First & most important:

There was no single block of "Founders." There were different people w/different opinions, so they would say a range of things.

There's no simple answer to that question

That said...

2/ Second:

"The Founders" WOULD agree on the existence of something called the "common good."

This, too, had no simple meaning.
The "common good" of who?

Even so, they recognized that--one way or another--gov't should protect it in some way

In a way, government is a big "we"

3/ Third:

And while we're talking about government & its role...

"The Founders" weren't anti-government.
They created governments.
A lot.

The Revolution was a revolt vs. one specific gov't.

Even as it was underway, people were creating new governments to replace the old one.

4/ Fourth:

"The Founders" would understand -- profoundly -- the risk inherent in epidemics.

The didn't fully understand the cause or cure of curses like cholera and yellow fever, but they understood the need for group action of some kind to fight it.

5/ Fifth:

"The Founders" knew the Constitution was more than a Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights was necessary because of all the ways in which the Constitution--brought to you by many of the same people who created the Bill of Rights--invested the new gov't w/a lot of power.

6/ Last but not least -- for now:

Asked what they thought about our current group quarantines, "The Founders" would say:

WHAT ARE THOSE FLYING METAL OBJECTS IN THE SKY?