It sounds like you're making the mistake of looking at the 1800 election through our modern lens. At the time, there was no promise that the U.S. would succeed to the degree it has today. The "founding fathers" were not deified quite to the degree we hold them in our culture (assuming you're in the US).
As such, the subtitle isn't a literally calling Jefferson and Adams a madman and a crook. If that was the case, then yes I agree it would be distasteful and a difficult argument. Of course there are major differences. It's pointing out that someone at the turn of that century might have experienced something similar to what we saw this past year and that maybe we could learn something from knowing that.
Their contemporaries were certainly able to call them such and worse. However, I do not see that we can compare these figures to Clinton and Trump. Neither has the accomplishments or the potential for accomplishments that could compare.
Yeah, it sounds like we're talking past eachother a bit then. I agree that you can't compare the four figures. That is not what the author is attempting to do, however.
The argument isn't that IF there are similarities between political rhetoric now and in 1800 THEN you may make a comparison between historical figures. It's that IF there are similarities between political rhetoric now and in 1800 THEN similar political problems may have existed in the year 1800 that we are facing today. The author is highlighting his premise, not making a character comparison.
I agree. It is an offensive comparison, and being offended is a personal view.
Misunderstanding what the author wrote is not a personal view or opinion, it's just ignoring the facts. Ironically, that "facts as a personal view" argument was heavily used by both candidates in the 2017 election which you have decried.
That is what I was addressing with my previous comments. Sorry if you thought I was challenging your personal/political/emotional views in some way. I think you are correct, you're just using poor argumentation.
As such, the subtitle isn't a literally calling Jefferson and Adams a madman and a crook. If that was the case, then yes I agree it would be distasteful and a difficult argument. Of course there are major differences. It's pointing out that someone at the turn of that century might have experienced something similar to what we saw this past year and that maybe we could learn something from knowing that.