I think the originalist supreme court members cut a lot closer to the original truth than your interpretation, at least with regards to Madison, and Jefferson.
Arguing that the 'well regulated militia' clause is a requirement rather than prefatory is something that original documents do not back up. Painting the originalist movement as a bunch of shills doesn't seem to be fair, or helpful.
Important takeaway with regards to militias: both papers argue that a generally armed populace is a necessary but not sufficient requirement for the fledgling nation to maintain it's own common defense.
Jefferson's opinion given in a letter to John Cartwright many years after the fact (duty to possess, with no regard to serving as a part of a well formed militia. Duty to serve also referenced separately later in the letter):
Keep in mind also that we know for a fact that arms were kept for private use by the Hamiltons, as well as at Mount Vernon and Monticello, they were far from tools of the new federal estate to be taken away upon their existence becoming troublesome.
Arguing that the 'well regulated militia' clause is a requirement rather than prefatory is something that original documents do not back up. Painting the originalist movement as a bunch of shills doesn't seem to be fair, or helpful.
For Madison's opinions, see Federalist papers 29 and 46 https://constitution.org/fed/federa29.htm https://constitution.org/fed/federa46.htm
Important takeaway with regards to militias: both papers argue that a generally armed populace is a necessary but not sufficient requirement for the fledgling nation to maintain it's own common defense.
Jefferson's opinion given in a letter to John Cartwright many years after the fact (duty to possess, with no regard to serving as a part of a well formed militia. Duty to serve also referenced separately later in the letter):
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-4...
Keep in mind also that we know for a fact that arms were kept for private use by the Hamiltons, as well as at Mount Vernon and Monticello, they were far from tools of the new federal estate to be taken away upon their existence becoming troublesome.