More than 225 years ago the citizens of this land fought for their independence from the oppression of what was, unquestionably, one of the most powerful nations in the world. At that time we had no organized military forces, just a strong desire for freedom. Freedom from the heavy burden of taxation on goods imported from abroad; and freedom to worship according to personal beliefs. These early settlers found that many others agreed with them. They grew in size and determination, ultimately rebelling against the tyranny of taxation without representation. The “Boston Tea Party” was the ‘jumping off’ point for the formation of our country.
The United States of America, a federal republic, became a sovereign nation with the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the formation of a Constitution. By 1788 the first ten amendments to the Constitution were ratified guaranteeing the citizens of America certain rights; in fact, they are known as The Bill of Rights.
Today, we face another battle against oppression, but this one is internal. It is not a bloody battle; but it will be a daunting battle to restore the ideals upon which our country was formed. Our original war for freedom was fought against an empire which was an ocean away; this time the enemy is here, and embedded within our governing system. They use our trust in their decisions to serve themselves while they destroy our great country.
The founding fathers meant for our government to be representative of the people, by the people, and for the people. Our senators and representatives in Congress were supposed to come from the populace, serve and depart. The positions they served in were not meant to be careers, and the office of the President of the United States was not meant to be bought by whoever has the most money. It is truly unfortunate that our republic, which was so well conceived, has become a tangle of corruption. Our politicians have found a comfortable lifestyle in Congress and have learned to parse their words so that the most blatant lies can be made to sound like the truth. They have voted pay raises and perks for themselves at the expense of more and higher taxes from their constituents. Occasionally, a few local projects will make it seem like they are helping; but, for the politician, it is more like tossing scraps to a dog to keep him from biting. While inflicting regulations and raising fees for us, Congress exempts themselves. They seem to forget that, if it were not for the taxpaying citizens, they would not enjoy their privileges.
Let’s expand that arrogance and malfeasance of office to include many government employees, who earn far more than they would in the private sector. The salaries of these individuals are also paid for with taxpayer money. Now, we are learning that some government employees are not paying their individual taxes. The talk of “fair share” is political double speak when there are government employees who receive pay raises and bonuses and do not pay their fair share. They should be fired!
The corruption within our political system has been exacerbated by liberal policies, dishonest candidates and uninformed voters. The battle to return America to its intended design of freedom for all, must begin with new leadership. The back door deals and “quid pro quo” secrets of entrenched politicians must end. It’s time to clean house in Washington so, with every opportunity, let us reject the old and begin anew, uniting in battle once more for God and country.