Quinn daydreams about the past and what is not so different. Mr Jefferson, Mr Adams and Mr Hamilton and their money

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I enjoy daydreaming on occasion. Many times my fantasies are historically based. For example, I often ponder what Ben Franklin would think of our various forms of communications and the declining role of print newspapers. Imagine explaining to Ben – our first postmaster general –  that we can place an order on Amazon at 8:00 AM and have it at our door at 3:00 PM.

Mr Franklin flew a kite and thought about electricity. I’d like to show him a nuclear generation station, wind turbines in the ocean or even a Tesla. I bet he would be amazed at contact lenses. He would have enjoyed a ride with SpaceX. Maybe he and his son (the Royal Governor) could have figured out where the drones in NJ are coming from. 

How would Alexander Hamilton view the FDIC, SEC or Federal Reserve or today’s Treasury Department or yikes the stock market? We have come a long way since the Buttonwood Agreement.

The Constitution provided the legal authority to fund the national debt, assume the states’ debts, and create the First Bank of the United States, which was funded by a tariff on imports and a whiskey tax. Taxes and tariffs, imagine that? We are back where we started. Ah, if only we funded the national debt. 

Back in Hamiltons day life insurance and annuities were not a thing. Poor Eliza Hamilton could only stay in the Hamilton home because she was helped by some well off – maybe wealthy friends, but eventually that help that was not enough as she had to move “downtown” in New York. The man who built America’s financial system didn’t handle his own very well. 

I wonder what Thomas Jefferson would think of the size of the United States today. I’d like to explain that we can travel from the East to West coast in six hours – or that there is a West Coast for that matter.  Tom could have done with financial planning though as he died bankrupt. The poor guy co-signed a loan for a friend who defaulted. That didn’t help.

He left Monticello in a terrible state of disrepair, but eventually it was saved. Thank you Mr Levy. 

Mr Washington would be delighted to have had access to the 21st century’s dental care, not to mention health care well advanced from bleeding out the bad blood. On the plus side he didn’t have to select an in-network provider. General Washington would be pleased to know we remember Von Steuben and Lafayette for their help and we are on good terms with Germany and France – notwithstanding with a few bumps in the road. 

John Adams graduated Harvard at age 20-a lawyer, farmer, statesmen, diplomat and President. He couldn’t seem to hold a job. HD readers will be pleased to know Mr Adams grew up in a “comfortable” but not “wealthy” family. In contrast to Mr Jefferson and thanks in part to an inheritance from his son Sam, John and Abigale were relatively wealthy in retirement – but remained frugal unlike Mr Jefferson who couldn’t pass up a case of good French wine or a good book.

Mr Adams would have appreciated I-95 between Boston and Philadelphia, even with traffic the trip is a bit shorter and more comfortable than the week or more it took him.

John Hancock might find it interesting that we have stopped teaching cursive in school. 

It’s time for a nap and more dreaming. I think I will start with the Wright brothers – talk about determination and overcoming adversity. They became wealthy and famous, but not happy as they could no longer do the things they most enjoyed. I think I’ve heard that theme before.