Independence Day should be a celebration of our liberty and a day to express gratitude for perhaps the greatest society ever established.
Given the present state of the union, this may be a good time to revisit The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and even The Federalists Papers or biographies of our Founding Fathers.
During the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the object of our founders was to seek a consensus from The States as to what should be in the Constitution. Nearly everything was agreed upon except for a few items, and those were resolved in the ratification process with the addition of The Bill of Rights.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were probably the foremost champions for preserving our freedom and creating a government that could endure changes throughout centuries. They stressed the need for a balanced center and a three branch government, all working together with checks and balances to prevent anarchy and tyranny.
The Founding Fathers of the Constitutional Convention worked hard for us to enjoy the right of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. They believed we must govern from the middle. Too little government could cause a weakness in central planning, but too much control would cause monarchial powers and is contrary to our fundamental beliefs expressed in The Declaration of Independence.
It is inappropriate for a central government to dictate to us how we are to live. It becomes subjective to the political whim of whoever is in power. The Constitution and The Bill of Rights were designed explicitly to minimize political persuasion and protect our freedom. The three branches of government are there to keep powers in balance.
Questions at hand today are: Is our present government performing the duties outlined in the Constitution? Is one branch more powerful than it should be? Are there more rules and control over our lives than are legally allowed or intended?
We the People are now the majority owner in at least four major corporations, 11 trillion dollars in debt, and the government thinks it’s their job to tell us how we are to live and what to own. Today, officials want us to drive small cars because of greenhouse gas; tomorrow someone may want us to drive big cars because they think they are safer.
The purpose of a three-headed government rule is to keep political whims from reaching into our personal lives. What is needed today is for us to go back to the basics of our Liberty and our Pursuit of Happiness, not the freedoms dictated by a bureaucrat. One must remember when we start dictating to others on how we should live, we will also have the opportunity to be dictated to when things change.
Patrick Henry said it well; give me Liberty or give me Death. Maybe it’s time for us to think more about what that means.
May you enjoy a fabulous month of celebration.