Two hundred thirty three years ago, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and the thirteen original colonies embarked upon a new course, breaking away from the oppressive policies of Britain. Dale K. Robinson
Two hundred thirty three years ago, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and the thirteen original colonies embarked upon a new course, breaking away from the oppressive policies of Britain.
The Declaration of Independence established that people have unalienable, God-given rights to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It also declared something novel in the course of human affairs – that governments derive their “just powers from the consent of the governed.” These were not exactly new ideas, but they were built on decades of philosophy by writers like John Locke. What was novel was that they were about to be put into place. The British Colonies in America threw off the yoke of a government that was despotic and tyrannical and established a government of their own as the United States of America. It took a war with Britain to make that government permanent.
Our nation then established a government with the consent of the governed and wise men wrote a constitution to forestall the rise of tyranny among our leaders. The Constitution established a set of checks and balances to prevent one branch of government from becoming too powerful. But what happens when two of the branches join to conspire against the American people?
The Declaration of Independence did more than summarize the philosophy of our new nation – it set forth the grievances the colonies had against King George and Britain. Among those cited by Jefferson was that King George “erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out our subsistence” and “combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation.”
When I re-read the Declaration of Independence today, those two items just jumped right out at me. The first made me think of all the “czars” President Obama has established who are overseeing so many aspects of American life, but answer to no one while spending our tax dollars. The second reminded me of the rush to pass sweeping legislation that no one has had time to read.
The American public is being ill served by their elected officials, a Democrat-controlled Congress and a Democratic presidency. But as Jefferson wrote, people are “more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves.” I am afraid we will require Jefferson’s “long train of abuses and usurpations” before we recognize that our government has become despotic.
That long train already includes the “czars” and the takeover of American industries and financial institutions. It includes trillions of dollars in spending borrowed from our children and their children. It includes double digit unemployment. It may soon include more jobs lost overseas. It may soon include nationalized healthcare where some bureaucrat decides what treatment you need or what doctor you can see. It may soon include an extra $3,000 in energy costs annually per household. The inevitable result is government intrusion into every facet of American life.
America, that long train has left the station. We need to derail it before it reaches the end of the line.