On this anniversary of George Washington's birthday, Scott Johnson at Powerline have a tribute to our first president and Washington's famed letter to the Jewish congregation of Newport, Rhode Island

The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.

How wise to recognize the inherent arrogance of the idea of "tolerating" another religion.

And Tom Elia reminds us that even the Father of our Country was not immune from the abuse of his political enemies by reprinting a couple of the bitter criticism aimed at Washington while he was president. We deceive ourselves if we think that the ugly partisanship we see today in politics is a new trend. It has been there from the beginning.