Happpy 4th. Today's annual reading of the Declaration that we celebrate

As is tradition on this page, I give you the document we celebrate on this July 4 - The Declaration of Independence. As relevant today as ever.

We begin,

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. -- ...

Are we there yet, folks? Sure seems like we have a lot of our government acting against the consent of the governed these days.

So what was the "long train of abuses" in 1776? The Declaration tells us. I will only give a portion of those abuses here, but these seem pretty darn relevant to today.

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.

In other words, ignoring the will and the laws of the American colonies, and its representatives in their legislatures. Sort of like ignoring subpeonas and refusing to attend hearings of Congress in 2020, isn't it? And we definitely know this President will tell others "I might do something, but I need a favor from you first."

We continue.

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.

This government certainly does not care to listen to large swaths of the American population, both at the presidential and Congressional levels.

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.

Hell, Trump and today's Republicans openly campaign on making the administration of "justice" be one-sided for their side, and tries to remove and neuter any type of oversight that might reveal things that would lead to bad consequences for the GOP and TrumpWorld.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

This sounds familiar.

And this Administration definitely thinks that officers of the law are unaccountable to the people. At least as long as those cops are serving "the right folks" (not so much if law enforcement dares to look into the wrongdoing of those connected to power).

Related to that -

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

Can you say "ICE" and "qualified immunity"? I knew you could.

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.

Why yes, someone who ignores the wishes of the people and instead tries to use power to injure that opposition is unfit to rule, isn't he?

And the finisher.

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.

If you ignore us, and don't give a damn about our general welfare, why should we respect any authority you claim to have?

This opening segment of "The Newsroom" is 8 years old (!), and we've slipped a lot further down since it aired. Some of the first part is outdated Boomer guy angst (this might be a reflection of the character Jeff Daniels is playing), but the second part is even more true today about the America that we decided NOT to be.

"We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reasons, we passed laws, struck down laws for moral reasons. We waged war on poverty, not poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we put our money where our mouths were, and we never beat our chest. We built great big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured disease, and we cultivated the world's greatest artists and the world's greatest economy. We reached for the stars, acted like men, ("adults" Jeff, but you get the idea) We aspired to intelligence, we didn't belittle it, it didn't make us feel inferior. We didn't identify ourselves by who we voted for in the last election, and we didn't scare so easy.

We were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed. Like great men, men who were revered. First step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.

And what triggers Jeff Daniels' character in that scene? After being asked about what makes America the "greatest country in the world", he sees someone (later revealed to be his ex-girlfriend and future co-worker) holding signs that say "It's not...BUT IT CAN BE."

We need to do better and demand more. And stop accepting less and passing the responsibility onto others. That goes for both everyday Americans, and our political "leaders".

"A republic, if you can keep it."
-Benjamin Franklin