Happy Fourth of July - Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. The Fourth of July is a holiday marking national independence, independence of the Thirteen Colonies from the British Empire.
Our national independence has been secured for a long time, at least as long as I've been alive. During my lifetime, the real struggle in America has not been for national independence, but rather for personal independence.
1941 was the year that saw the last great assault on America's national independence. Despite that, President Roosevelt chose in his 1941 State of the Union address to focus not on national independence, but instead on personal independence. This is what he said:
"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings, which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor -- anywhere in the world. That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb."If we ever see a time when we have "secure[d] to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants" -- freedom from want -- then as far as I'm concerned, from that day forward, every day will be a holiday. For sure, every day will be worth celebrating.
Courage,
Alan Grayson
Follow Alan Grayson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/alangrayson
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But, we might want to start smaller - just achieve this within the United States.
Even though Republicans will continue to resist thse sorts of freedoms for the non-White, non-Rich.
"Our national independence has been secured for a long time, at least as long as I've been alive. During my lifetime, the real struggle in America has not been for national independence, but rather for personal independence."
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I am waiting for his next chapter when he explains how being dependent on the federal government for health care, instructing us on what to eat and drink and smoke gives those who want to eat prohibited foods results in personal independence. Why do I have to give money to GM via "stimuli" grants so they can build little $41,000 electric automobiles that nobody wants to buy?
Happy INDEPENDENCE Day,
Ken
What I want is a government more responsive to the electorate than donors, creating our new Corporate Congress.
The thoughts of our former Congressman, quoting from President Roosevelt. Unfortunately, government as a whole WANTS control at ANY cost. Since they do not trust us to continuously elect them and keep them employed.
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It's the cost of rising taxes being passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices. That applies to any company. (Well, except for government-run companies which can run for generations while losing money each year.) And now that insurance companies will have to take on millions more people with existing conditions, the costs will go up as will the prices.
And to me, the solution to our very unpopular congress is shorter terms in office. Too many at the congressional troth stay around for a lifetime.
warm regards,
Ken
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I don't use government paid for internet. I don't even know if they have their own but I surely would not use it. George Orwell would understand.
Guess who pays for that "guvment" interstate? Truckers and other taxpayers, not government bureaucrats. The first super highways were privately owned and they collected via tolls. In other words, those who used it paid for it. Not a bad concept, is it?
have a nice day,
Ken