Happy Independence Day!

Two hundred and thirty seven years ago, the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, a formal documentation of the Resolution of Independence approved on July 2, 1776.  It began a grand experiment in self-governance, declaring “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.”  A radical notion in a time when monarchs ruled by a belief in divine right, this document became an inspiration and blueprint for other peoples seeking to overthrow tyranny.

One might ask what is there to celebrate on this 4^th of July.  Our government is rocked by numerous scandals, Benghazi, IRS targeting of conservative groups, and NSA phone surveillance, just to name a few; a Congress that hasn’t passed a budget in nearly four years and passes legislation such as Obamacare without bothering to read it,  taxes are increasing  and unemployment is still high. More and more people are beginning to view the President as incompetent according to recent polls.   It seems as if the Federal Government is a mess and our elected officials aren’t leading us anywhere but into a downward spiral.

This great nation has faced, and overcome many problems in the past.  Wars, slavery, economic depressions, terrorist attacks, internal strife, all overcome because we've pulled together as a nation.  And we can, and must overcome our problems again or our “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” may just become a footnote in history.

As you celebrate today, remember the words of Abraham Lincoln, “Let us re-adopt the Declaration of Independence, and with it, the practices, and policy, which harmonize with it. ... If we do this, we shall not only have saved the Union: but we shall have saved it, as to make, and keep it, forever worthy of the saving.”

Happy Independence Day!