John Adams

The most recent film to come up in my Netflix Queue was the opening installment of the HBO miniseries "John Adams." To say that I'm surprised by this film is an understatement.

To say that it should be required viewing during this election season is also an understatement.

I couldn't help but wonder at HBO -- hardly a conservative network -- selling a more well-thought out and non-liberal version of American history.

All Hollywood-ization aside, the most fascinating aspects of the series so far are the orations and debates in the original continental Congress. Despite being men of varying beliefs and persuasions (hardly less religiously and philosophically diverse than our modern congress) -- despite being liberals, conservatives, AND proud moderates (Ben Franklin) -- they discussed the issues before them with an intellectual rigor and clarity which should shame our modern politicians.

Would the various political, economic, and moral issues of our time -- not to mention certain social "reforms" -- stand the intellectual rigor of our founding fathers?

Who among the political candidates running for office could stand a cross-examination by the minds which founded our country?

And since I've gone "there" -- has there been a single Presidential candidate in the past two decades who was worthy of the title, let alone the office?

Oh, there were worthy leaders in our midst, but we've passed too many of them by. A culture fed by pop-philosophy and blinded by the light of the idiot-tube is hardly in any state to sustain a democracy, and we're starting to prove this with terrifying consistency.

This film has inspired me to dig deeper into the words and deeds of the first Americans. Despite their failings, I wonder if we couldn't find the guidance there to once again right this aimless ship of a country.