Declaration of Independence Needed Today

America's Declaration of Independence turns 240 years old on July 4. The revolutionary document, approved by the Second Continental Congress in 1776 at Philadelphia, articulates the founding principles that fueled the building of the greatest nation on Earth.

Our nation's greatness can be traced to the courageous patriots who debated, wrote and approved the document that changed the course of American history.  With the whole world watching, partisans drafted principles that created a democracy where colonists switched roles from subjects to citizens.

The document can rightly be called the birth certificate of the United States of America.  Its adoption by the 13 original colonies transformed the identity of Virginians, New Yorkers, Pennsylvanians and North Carolinians into Americans first and foremost.

They were united as one nation, no longer autonomous dominions. Colonists took their cue from the opening lines of the declaration which referred to newborn America as "one people."  That principle was not lost on future immigrants, who surrendered their old loyalties and embraced American ideals.

In retrospect, a document, even one as old as the Declaration of Independence, must be preserved against unfaithful interpretations and defended by those in power, including elected representatives, the judiciary and executive branch of government.

America's future greatness is dependent on continued diligence.  As history has proven, democracies can splinter and collapse in a blink of an eye.  Recent examples include Thailand, Egypt, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Turkey.  When abuses erode democracy, tyranny fills the power vacuum.  

America's founders, smarting under the sting of the British yoke, made certain future generations would be forewarned about freedom's threats.  That's why the Declaration of Independence includes 27 grievances against iron-fisted King George III of England, who ruled the colonies.

The indictment cites violations of colonists' civil, political and natural rights by the crown.  It is worth recalling a few of the complaints as a history lesson on the tyrannical injustices which should make Americans today wary of the direction of the country.

"Imposing taxes on us without our consent."  Obamacare, the president's signature insurance plan, contains a raft of 20 new or higher taxes cleverly hidden in the law to avoid public detection.  It wasn't until after the bill was rubber-stamped by Democrats that Americans learned about the tax increases for small businesses and ordinary citizens. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sheepishly confided during the debate: "But we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of controversy."

"He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people..."  Under President Obama, the powerful Internal Revenue Service unleashed its army of enforcement agents to intimidate political organizations aligned against his party, targeting those groups with non-profit status. Despite the harassment, no IRS officials were charged with a crime.

He has suspended our "legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever." State legislatures, duly elected representatives of the people, have been overridden numerous times by the federal government and courts on issues ranging from same-sex marriage to abortion and voter ID laws.

"He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns and destroyed the lives of our people." By failing to enforce laws prohibiting illegal immigration, the president has wrecked havoc on the budgets of states, allowed foreigners to usurp American jobs, increased crime especially in cities and states bordering Mexico and fostered human trafficking violations.  An estimated 2.5 million illegal immigrants have flooded into the country since Mr. Obama became president.

"For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our government."  True to his threat, President Obama has used the power of his pen to issue 235 executive orders during his presidency with still six months to go before he leaves the White House.  In addition, the federal bureaucracy has spun out 184 new regulations with an estimated cost of $80 billion for businesses and consumers.

It may be time for American citizens to again convene in Philadelphia. Once more Americans need to reaffirm their independence from an intrusive government in Washington, determined to manage our lives from afar as the bully English King once tried.

(Answer: George Mason)