I trust that, in some way, you recently celebrated the nation’s 249th birthday. For me, it was a time to reflect on the foundation of our nation as I wonder how we have become such a selfish and divided society.
In many of my columns I have urged education and participation in the political systems in which we operate. I’ve called for citizens to run for office and effect the changes that give their constituents greater freedom and liberty.
In 1776, fifty-six national leaders declared the following: “…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
What does that say to you? To me it says we began with a foundation of belief in a singular creator of all men (humans). And that being created beings, the belief among the founders of our nation was that we have the basic human rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Note the Declaration of Independence does not guarantee happiness, it seeks to guarantee that one is free to pursue it.
What laws has our government created in the 250 years of our nation’s existence that run afoul of the ideals contained in the Declaration of Independence? Taxation – the taking of your earnings and deciding how to spend it, regardless of your convictions. Sound Money – the erosion of one’s hard-earned savings due to monetary inflation. Discrimination – by upholding certain groups that the government deems ‘marginalized’ that same government automatically reduces the standing of other ‘unmarginalized’ groups. I could go on, but you get the point.
If we are searching for liberties, you won’t find them in the hallways of the U.S. Capitol. Instead, there you will find a good share of people working only for their own ends and not those of their constituents.
So it may be time to “alter” the government. Stop accepting policies your government (with powers derived from the consent of the governed) puts forth that are restrictive of your freedom and liberty. The government has no duty to force it’s citizens to think a certain way, to vote a certain way or to spend their earnings on programs that do not benefit American’s as a whole.
So take back your power. Don’t vote only on name recognition. Demand accountability of leaders at every level. Don’t “vote and see” what happens. The Declaration of Independence is not only a guide for America’s future, but also a warning about what an unjust government might look like.
Take a read. You might be surprised at what our founding fathers thought our new government should look like.
INTERESTED IN PLANTING A SEED? If you need some guidance on where to start your journey of running for local office, RCF is here to help! We have resource information and materials HERE. If you would like to discuss with our Candidate and Campaign team, please mail us at rcfcampaign@gmail.com.
