The Constitution, our nation's living document, was and continues to be the epicenter of political debate. The question of whether something is constitutional or not is usually the argument on everyone's mind when passing controversial new laws or programs. It was the same even in Jeffersonian democracy. The consistency of a president's philosophy and how he applied it as president was always under scrutiny. The Democratic Republican presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, are among those presidents whose philosophy was sidelined and who still do so today by Americans. History has portrayed them as hypocrites who actually reflected the views of Federalists such as Alexander Hamilton during their presidencies. However, that really wasn't the case. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were victims of being unfairly labeled as hypocrites when in reality their intention was simply to do what was best for the country as a whole. Hamilton was very specific in what he did and who he supported. He was known for his support of a vague interpretation of the Constitution and for his promotion of a strong central government. Hamilton was more interested in maintaining the interest of the rich in the federal government at the expense of the poor. Indeed, as long as the poor owed money to the rich, the rich would do everything they could to keep the government running so they could get their money back. This is the cycle that kept the government in business and arguably still does today. In terms of money, Hamilton was a supporter of the Bank of the United States, established in 1791. He wanted the bank to allow the federal government to issue paper money and manage tax receipts as well as other funds governments. Madison and Jefferson were adamant about what they did because it was for the good of the nation. They may have said one thing and done another, but their intentions were never malicious. Their goal was never to abuse their power. It's normal for people to change their minds. Once they took office and realized how difficult decisions like these were, they had to use common sense. John Calhoun said it best in his speech to Congress [Doc I]. The central and state governments need each other. Instead of focusing so much on the Constitution: how politicians interpret it, defend it, and enforce it, why not focus on the real issue? All the different views on the Constitution only distract people from the real issue at hand. Instead of the parties splitting up and the state and federal government fighting tooth and nail, government officials should do what's best for both..