During his inaugural address in 1801, Thomas Jefferson said:
What more is necessary to make us a happy and prosperous people? Still one thing more, fellow-citizens—a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvements and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.
Answer the following questions and provide support for your answer using the text or your own research:
1. What do you think that Jefferson meant by the phrase “shall restrain men from injuring one another?”
2. Was Thomas Jefferson solely referring to thugs who physically brutalize fellow citizens or could he have been referring to citizens who sought to poison others? Could pollution be considered a poison? Is restraining “poisoners” a role of government? Explain.
3. If a company or individual releases a pollutant into the air or water, should the government restrain that company or individual? Are regulations needed to restrain companies and individuals from releasing pollutants into the environment? Explain.
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