I spend a lot of time wishing I knew more than I know. Readers often comment about my ignorance. I give critics the Bugs Bunny test.

In the movie, "Network," William Holden says about Faye Dunaway: "She's TV generation; she learned life from Bugs Bunny." These days, too many sources of news and information are cartoons. The founders of our nation and state never heard of Bugs Bunny, Sean Hannity or Jon Stewart. They grew wise the old-fashioned way — through education.

Wouldn't it be great to sit down with Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Madison and others? Not all together; one at a time. If we put them together, they might argue — especially Adams and Jefferson. They didn't speak to each other for 12 years. When Adams finally broke the silence, the two recorded some of the most meaningful correspondence in American history. And don't forget cantankerous, randy, old Benjamin Franklin. My great-grandfather was named after him — Benjamin Franklin Stoddard. I wouldn't mind talking with great-granddad, either . . . and his friend, Brigham Young. Great-granddad probably never read a book, but I'll bet he could tell me a thing or two about life.

The first thing I would ask Thomas Jefferson is what he meant when he said: "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." I would ask if he thinks our loss of freedom over the past few years comes from neglecting his advice about education. I'd also ask Jefferson what he meant by "pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence. Today, we think it means "pursuit of more material goods and less responsibility."

John Adams was my kind of guy. He came from a poor farm family and dedicated his life to education and service. He contributed as much as the others, but he didn't get credit. For the most part, he didn't care. He wrote in his diary: "Oh! That I could wear out of my mind every mean and base affectation, conquer my natural pride and conceit." I'd ask Adams if modern America has too much "pride and conceit." Adams said wisdom and knowledge are necessary for the preservation of rights and liberties. He wrote: " . . . it shall be the duty of legislators and magistrates in all future periods . . . to cherish the interests of literature and the sciences."

How are we doing, John? Are the legislators of Utah living up to their "duty"? Are those who support so-called "school choice" meeting their responsibilities or simply running away from them? Is "choice" pride and conceit in action?

James Madison crafted the Bill of Rights. He talked about "tyranny of the majority." I'd like to hear his thoughts about today's political tyrannies in Washington and Utah . . . and about the erosion of freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. I wonder what Madison and Washington would say about the war in Iraq. Both warned against foolish wars.