Happy 4th in 2018! Where today's GOPs have taken the place of the Royalists

Happy July 4 to all of you! We begin with a few words from our illustrious Governor.

In America, we celebrate the 4th of July and not April 15th (Tax Day) because, in America, we celebrate our freedom from the government -- not our dependence on it. 🇺🇸 🎇🎆

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) July 3, 2018

NO YOU DIMIWTTED DROPOUT! That is not what we are celebrating today. Why don't you actually read The Declaration of Independence, and get a damn clue.

Then again, I don't think Scotty wants to read that document. It might hit a little too close to home for him and his fellow amoral authoritarian buddy Donald Trump. Let's start from the beginning.

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security...

As I noted last July 4, a lot of alleged patriots emphasize the first part of that 2nd paragraph, but it's the middle part that's more relevant today. Revolution is not something that should be considered by citizens whenever their fee-fees get hurt and there is a minor difference of opinion. But when real injuries are being done and people are noticing that checks and balances are not stopping the evils from happening, "it is their duty" to remove despots from power.

Let's also go back to the Declaration to go over what this "long train of abuses and usurpations" included.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

That sure sounds like people who would ignore laws like the requirement to call special elections to allow people to be represented in the Legislature or a general attitude that the rule of laws does not apply to presidents. That sounds a lot like today's GOP in both Wisconsin and in DC, doesn't it?

This part also seems pretty relevant these days.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

Can you say "using ICE to carry out "zero-tolerance" policies at the border, and sending kids away from their parents without the resources or desire to track them?" I knew you could. Can you also say "appointing a SCOTUS "justice" on the condition that a corrupt president or governor would be let off the hook?"

And as I typically do today, I urge our Governor and others to pay extra attention to the final 3 paragraphs. They illustrate that the complaints and wishes of Americans had been arrogantly ignored by the government that ruled over them, resulting in the Colonists feeling they had no choice but to try to break free.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

That's right, MAGAts, you're not exactly the "Patriots" you claim to be. If this was 1776 America, you would be the Royalists supporting the king. You are more than happy to abuse your power in order to ignore the will of the people, and you are more than happy to try to crush of the majority that never voted for this president. "The governed" never has consented to have our environment wrecked, have their ability to receive health care be sabotaged or have their right to vote and be fairly represented be compromised.


You don't believe me when I say today's GOP wouldn't be part of the Revolution? Check this out.

The Fourth of July, the day when Trump supporters attack the Declaration of Independence as “partisan advocacy.” pic.twitter.com/kBtPjEv7w7

— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) July 4, 2018

I said this 365 days ago, and it seems even more salient today.

Those are the words and values we are celebrating today, and they require eternal vigilance and protection. The institutions of US government do not magically work on their own, they are only as good as the people that are in charge of carrying out their duties, and the voters that are charged with holding those officials to account. If neither of those groups decide to perform their duties, then society ends up damaged, and requires more radical solutions to repair that damage.

Voting out the Royalists and authoritarian thugs in power in 2018 may be the last chance to keep our current form of American government in a legal, more peaceful way. So DO IT, DAMMIT.