Constitutional Framers vision and the Washington Community

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“Knowledge about the inner life of the governmental community of Washington becomes imperative for understanding the political system of the new nation.” ( Young p.108) The Constitutional Framers envisioned a national government that is similar to the concept of Plato's cave which is that it would be "at a distance and out of sight" of the everyday affairs and thoughts of ordinary Americans. The end result, it was anticipated, would be a new form of "national" and "long term" thinking by men of prominence, motivated only by their devotion to a national public interest and legacy. The constitutional framers wanted “The people to elect good men.” (Federal Farmer No.9, p.27) The Washington Community or “the original beltway boys” had an expectation of what it intended to be socially and politically and ended up being something different.

The Washington community helped develop the political community based on the constitutional framers original idea as well as implementing their own self-interest. The elected government ended up being even more limited than the constitutional design had envisioned. The Washington community ended up being a backwater that did not develop properly with few privileges socially and economically, and with limited political presence. The city was not fully developed and it made the elected officials seem that they had the power and they were of significance. Therefore, elected officials in both the House of Representatives and the Senate would not stay around long to serve. The original powers the constitutional framers intended for the elected officials of Washington to have was a separate territory removed from the political carryings of the states and the people that would allow deliberative democracy...

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... and thoughts of ordinary Americans. The Washington Community or “the original beltway boys” had an expectation of what it intended to be socially and politically and ended up being something different. The Framers of the Constitution designed the constitution to establish a foundation that would assist the government lead the people and the United States. They hoped that a new form of national and long term thinking by men of prominence and motivated to serve the national public interest. What ended up occurring was that the Washington Community was a backwater with few privileges. The government was not developing properly and there was limited political presence. The national government was deemed insignificant and that was a major problem. The vision that the constitutional framers anticipated was not in actuality carried out by the early Washington Community.

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