Time To Confront Unvaccinated To End Pandemic

After life-saving vaccines arrived, the tide began to shift in the battle against the 18-month-old pandemic.  COVID-19 cases shriveled.  Hospitalizations dipped.  Fatalities became a rarity instead of a  Bataan-like march. But the rise of the Delta variant poses a new threat to ending the pandemic.  

The highly contagious new variant is spreading like a California wildfire. Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are ticking upward at an alarming rate.  Complicating the effort to tamp down the outbreak is the failure of vaccination campaigns to convince nearly half of Americans to get the shots.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports 49% of Americans are fully vaccinated.  The agency's figures show an estimated 68% of individuals have received at least a single dose of one of the three vaccines. Research indicates two doses are required for maximum protection against the Delta variant.

A clarification about the 68% national figure is in order. It is unintentionally misleading. With a little digging, CDC figures reveal nearly two-thirds of the 3,143 counties in the U.S. have less than 40% of residents who have been fully vaccinated.  

States with high vaccine rates are skewing the national data.  States with low vaccination rates are breeding grounds for the spread of the Delta variant. 

This is a sobering dose of reality for the Biden Administration, which pledged to blunt the virus and administer at least one vaccine dose to 70% of all Americans by July 4.  Once President Trump delivered the vaccines in Warp Speed fashion, the job fell to President Biden to ramp up vaccinations.

Even the White House's pandemic response coordinator Jeff Zients admitted at a recent press briefing that the recent surge in COVID cases and deaths represents a lack of success for the administration.

"The sad reality is that despite our progress, we're still losing people to the virus.  Which is especially tragic given that, at this point, it is unnecessary and preventable.  Virtually all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in the United States are now among unvaccinated individuals."

Data confirms Zients' assessment.  Preliminary figures suggest 99.5% of the deaths in the last few months are in unvaccinated people, according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.  Unvaccinated Americans are also more likely to require hospitalization, if they are infected with the Delta variant.

Research reveals the novel strain travels faster than the original alpha version of COVID-19.  CDC analysis of genetic sequencing from positive tests discovered the Delta variant accounts for 83% of the new COVID cases. The good news is that vaccines are potent weapons against the variant.

The Pfizer vaccine is 88% effective against symptomatic cases and 96% effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant in studies, reports Yale Medicine.  Moderna's vaccine has proven equally effective against the Delta variant, although the data for both studies have not been peer reviewed.

In an era when "following the science" is a recurring slogan, why are so many Americans, including large numbers of health workers, refusing to roll up their sleeves for a shot? Vaccines are readily available in every part of the country.  What's the excuse?

A Kaiser Family Foundation research survey conducted in January sheds light on the reluctance to take the jab. The study learned that 51% of Americans would "definitely not get the vaccine."  Another 16% reported they would only get the vaccine if "it was required."  

The foundation fielded another study of the same individuals in June and found little movement in attitudes.  According to the findings, 24% of individuals in the original two groups softened their opposition. That leaves 76% of the two groups (51% and 16%) who haven't budged. 

Some demographic groups are embracing vaccines faster than the population at large.  Kaiser reported higher vaccine rates in older adults (79.6%), those with serious health problems, college graduates and Democrats.  The data shows 42% of Americans aged 30-49 have not been vaccinated.  

Among demographic groups adopting a "wait and see" attitude are large numbers of African-Americans and Hispanics, the survey found.  What is causing this hesitation?  

Two-thirds of adults (and a large majority of the unvaccinated) are concerned about the safety of the vaccines.  Although medical professionals, celebrities, politicians and health officials have tried to assure the public the vaccines are safe, many view full FDA approval of the vaccines as a proxy for safety.

Why hasn't the Federal Drug Administration fully approved the vaccines after the administration of 338 million doses?  That question always prompts the government to defer to established protocols for final approval.  How much more evidence is needed?  Approval is bogged down in the bureaucracy.

In addition the CDC has been less than forthcoming in explaining to Americans the so-called "adverse incidents" that have occurred.  Most Americans have read or heard of about deaths, blood clots and severe but rare allergic reactions following vaccinations.  Why not discuss those publicly to arrest fears?

Instead, the CDC prefers to circulate details on a limited basis to medical professionals. When the CDC doesn't air these adverse outcomes and explain why they are  extremely rare, Americans draw their own conclusions. It fuels fear and anxiety. The CDC should come clean for the good of the public.

On the CDC website, there is a reference to 6,207 deaths that have been recorded after individuals received the vaccine. Deaths have been reported online and in the media without an ounce of perspective. Seldom is it made clear there is no evidence the fatalities were caused by the vaccines.

In fact, the CDC website adds explanatory language advising that the FDA requires healthcare providers to report any death after a COVID vaccination, "even if it's unclear whether the vaccine was the cause." Reports of deaths "do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused the health problem," it cautions.

The CDC includes this disclaimer: "A review of available clinical information, including death certificates, autopsy and medical records has not established a causal link to COVID-19 vaccines."  The agency also notes there have been rare cases of blood clots and anaphylaxis.

There have been 39 reports of people who suffered blood clots and about 60 Americans who had a rare allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis.  These CDC figures may frighten some, but put in perspective, it means your chances of an adverse incident are extremely unlikely.  

In fact, it is more life-threatening to live in Chicago, drive your car or suffer complications from influenza than it is to receive one of the three available vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson and Johnson. The CDC and the administration must take the initiative to launch an extensive media and ad blitz.

No discussion of vaccine hesitancy could be fair and balanced without singling out the politicization of the development process.  When unity was required, the Washington political class dished out division and scare mongering, which fostered an unhealthy environment for wide vaccine adoption.

Recently, President Biden blamed social media companies, such as Facebook, for spreading misinformation about the vaccines.  "They're killing people," Biden vented in response to a reporter's question.  This is a red herring.  Facebook's censors ban any anti-vaccine posts.

Your writer knows this first hand.  He posted a humorous picture of a skeleton with the caption: "I can assure everyone the vaccine is completely safe."  With lightning speed, Facebook's dictatorial, ham-fisted censors put a large banner over the post, directing readers to a CDC website.   

More photo opts of celebrities getting vaccinated are a waste.  Those play into the hands of publicity hungry Hollywood dolts.  What is needed an honest intensive campaign to fully inform Americans, pulling no punches about adverse side effects.  And the FDA must fully approve the vaccines...now.

There is little sense of urgency in the administration and FDA, despite White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki's assurances that "getting the pandemic under control (and) protecting Americans from the spread of the virus" is the president's "number one priority."

That is a curious statement in light of the Biden Administration's decision not to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for the White House staff.  Does that set a good example for Americans?  Remember when an unmasked Trump was viewed by the media as a sign of his not taking the virus seriously?

Now high profile professional athletes and coaches are defying league rules on vaccinations. A couple of assistant coaches have been fired. A handful of healthcare workers have been forced to resign for refusing to take the shots,  The anti-vaccine undercurrent is stronger than many acknowledge.  

In the wake of the Delta outbreak, Dr. Anthony Fauci is raising the prospect of new mask mandates for the vaccinated.  If implemented, this will punish those who have been vaccinated to protect the unvaccinated. There will be a backlash the likes of which this country has not witnessed since the pandemic began. 

One way to address this conundrum is the voluntary adoption of a policy for retail businesses, department stores, restaurants, bars and sporting events:  Only those who have been vaccinated will be allowed on the premises. All others will be denied entrance.

No question this is extreme, and admittedly unenforceable, but the message will be crystal clear.  The unvaccinated have given up their rights to be treated equally with those of us who have been vaccinated. The message may anger some, but dire circumstances call for drastic measures, 

As long as a majority of individuals remain unprotected from the Delta variant, the pandemic will remain a health threat, inflicting economic harm on hard-working Americans and psychological damage on the country's young people.  

What's Up With Inflation? Everything!

Inflation is roaring in America's economy. This isn't news to consumers but the latest government data confirms prices for goods and services are spiraling at historic levels.  Costs for food, cars, fuel, construction materials, air travel, household furnishing, apparel and virtually everything else is soaring. 

The question on the minds of consumers, economists, bankers, investors and stock market analysts remains: Is this a transitional period of spiking prices that will end soon or will inflation continue for a year or more?   Answers depend on whom you ask and their stake in the outcome of the debate.

                                           The Data

Data not opinions are the appropriate starting point for a discussion about inflation.  The Consumer Price Index (CPI) surged one percent, in June.  But that monthly jump doesn't tell the whole story.  During the last 12 months, the index hiked 5.4%, the largest annual expansion since August 2008.  

Unpacking Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals eyeopening numbers.  The price for all energy has leaped 24.5% in the last 12 months. Gasoline prices are up 45.1%; used cars and trucks skyrocketed 45.2%; transportation services rose 10.4%; and, commodities forged ahead 8.7% in the same period.

In 44 of the nation's 50 largest metro areas, rents have surpassed levels before the pandemic began, according to data from Realtor.com.  Nationwide, the median rent reached a record high of $1,575 in June, an increase of 8% from a year ago. Housing is not a discretionary cost for Americans.  

Food, which is not included in the CPI, increased 0.8% in June, a larger upsurge than May's 0.4%. Food prices are heavily impacted by the cost of fuel, because farmers, wholesalers and grocery chains use gasoline for harvesting and for fleets of trucks to ship food to local stores.  

Consumer wages have not kept pace with the inflation.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures the growth of weekly earnings, adjusted for inflation.  From May 2020 to May 2021, real earnings decreased 2.2%. This creates a perfect storm of rising prices and falling purchasing power. 

The flow of money into the economy acutely effects inflation. The Federal Reserve has shoved down interest rates while maintaining bond purchases. This usually triggers robust economic activity and business investment, but inflation lurks as a danger.

In 2007 during the financial crisis, the Fed cleaved the federal funds rate from 5.25% to zero. Later, the Fed raised rates slightly, then sliced the target in 2020 to near zero due to the pandemic. This creates a phenomenon known as "easy money," lowering lending rates for consumers and businesses.

However, lax money policy dampens interest rates paid on money markets, savings and bonds. As a result, investors chase returns in the riskier stock market, fueling bumper growth in the major market indices.  Caution: the stock market is not always a reliable indicator of underlying inflation.   

Today's economy is also awash in Biden bucks as the administration, backed by Congress, has pumped trillions into the economy, including direct payments to individuals.  Economist Larry Summers calls the current stimulus "excessive" because it risks overheating the economy, accelerating inflation.  

Another contributor to the inflationary pressure is the rising cost of hiring employees.  As businesses resume normal operations, it is becoming harder to find workers.  Some remain on the sidelines, content to collect beefed-up government unemployment checks and stimulus payments.  

To complicate matters, many employers are not recalling laid off workers as normal operations resume. Lost jobs and idle workers help explain why the national unemployment rate in June swung to 5.9% In pre-pandemic January 2020, unemployment stood at 3.6%.

At the end of May, there were 9.2 million job openings, according to the BLS.  Desperate businesses are being forced to pay hiring bonuses and other perks to fill jobs.  The cost of wages and bonuses are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for services and goods.  

                                Inflation: Transitory or Long Term?

In day-one testimony before Congress, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell repeatedly said his colleagues are focused on returning to full employment and less concerned about temporary hike in inflation.  In fact, the Fed made it clear that it would tolerate higher inflation than its target rate: a 2% annual increase.

It is obvious the chairman believes the current inflation will diminish soon. He blames supply chain issues, increased post-pandemic spending and higher oil prices for the uptick.  "As these transitory supply effects abate, inflation is expected to drop back toward our longer-run goal," Powell says.

But is he right?

JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon is solidly in the camp of dissenters.  He recently opined that there is "a very good chance inflation will be more than transitory."  His investment bank, the largest by assets, is stockpiling cash to buy treasures and other investments when interest rates climb. 

He's not alone.  Deutsche Bank economists and Morgan Stanley are sounding the alarm about long-term inflation. But there are still doubters who frankly are championing easy money for their own economic interests, especially those who market stocks and other financial instruments,

"While inflation has a negative connotation for many people, inflation itself isn't inherently good or bad," says Jill Fopiano, president and CEO of O'Brien Wealth Partners.  "Some level of inflation is a sign that the economy is healthy."  

Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial Services Group, points out recent sharp rises in prices are concentrated in parts of the economy that were whipsawed by the pandemic, including used cars, airfares and hotel stays.

"That suggests that this is part of the dislocation from the (economic) reopening and I would expect that...inflation will settle down later this year," Faucher forecasts.

Economists can find reasons to validate their views on alternative scenarios.  However, this writer doesn't consider wishy-washy perspectives to be a helpful guide to the future.  Uncertainty promotes more uncertainty.  Taking a stand always comes with risks of being wrong.  So be it.  

                                        An Inflation Prediction 

In day-two of his testimony, Powell modified his stance on "transitionary" inflation.  He told the Senate Banking Committee, "I think we're experiencing a big uptick in inflation.  Bigger than many expected.  Bigger than certainly I expected."  Analysts labeled the remarks a "softening" of his stance.

It is more like backpedaling or waffling.  Powell figures by hedging he protects his credibility regardless of the eventual outcome.  But a career economist and bank executive Howard Manning, who spent five years at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, isn't buying "transitory inflation."

"With the exception of the 1% money earners and the top 5% wealth holders, the rest of the U.S. economy is suffering from a runaway inflation spike that is dramatically effecting net disposable income," Manning notes.  Growing inflation is a drag on savings and investment, he adds.

To underscore his premise, Manning cites a rapid increase in commodity prices that have driven up food and clothing prices, which appear to be "running closer to 7% to 10% rather than the 2% to 5.5% the administration wants us to believe."

He acknowledges supply chain issues, but underscores the continuing outsourcing of production and manufacturing which effects capital formation.  American jobs are fleeing to China, India and other countries continuing to "rob the USA of middle class level wages," Manning reminds economists.

Manning's assessment of jobs: The COVID job losses are "permanent." "And the Green Energy jobs are not financially replacing former jobs. The future now is working for the military industrial complex--wages, healthcare (soft dollar) and government subsidy," he posits.  

In this writer's opinion, based on metrics, inflation will stick to the economy like Elmer's Super Glue for at least a year or more. Rising prices sometimes can be offset by efficiencies and productivity. However, the fastest way to mitigate exploding costs is by shaving payroll and jacking up prices.

Gasoline and fuel prices which effect food,  transportation and energy costs are blooming with no end in sight for at least the next 12 to 24 months.  Virtually every American, especially low income earners, will be forced to make purchase tradeoffs as inflation bubbles, threatening economic growth.

The Fed, economists, the administration and stock market pros will not be able to use the excuse they were blindsided by stubborn inflation.  The data is right in front of them.  They are choosing to adopt a rosy view.  The data indicates inflation will march steadily ahead without proactive Fed intervention. 

America: A Nation Divided, Angry and Depressed

America is in turmoil.  A nation divided by politics, media, culture, regionalism, religion, celebrities, sports, race, wealth, agism and patriotism.  Many scapegoat politicians as the culprits.  But we are at war with ourselves.  The only real solution is for We The People to first change ourselves.  

It is trendy to dredge up the cliche that things have never been worse in our country.  Those who assert this hypothesis never delved into our nation's past.  America was birthed in conflict.  Our founding fathers complained bitterly about the rancor within their newly minted United States of America.

America's first President George Washington fretted about the rank partisanship in the 1790's.  It was a time of hate-filled political rhetoric.  Sound familiar? Washington blamed the malice on politicians driven by "selfish motives."  He lamented the political groups formed to spread discord and enmity.

Our second President John Adams was furious at the pamphleteers who criticized his administration.  In 1798, he signed the Alien and Sedition Act, which made it illegal to "write, print or publish any false, scandalous and malicious writings" against the president and the executive branch.

America's messy democracy with its partisan politicians and unfettered press has a long history of stirring passion, antagonism and dissension.  It is the price we pay for freedom.  What needs to change is how Americans react to politics and how we discern the truth about what is reported in the media.   

The toxicity of today's politics is as volatile as Washington's era. Partisans on all sides of the political spectrum point the finger of guilt at one of the two major parties.  However, both parties and the extremists within each, are at fault. It doesn't matter a wit which party is in control, bitterness reigns. 

If you catch yourself shaking your head in disagreement, you are frankly in denial.  In 1994, I traveled to Washington for a private conference with Oklahoma Senator David Boren.  During our meeting, he disclosed he would not seek another term.  I was stunned.  The Democrat easily could be reelected.

"Politics in Washington is no longer civil," he confided.  "At one time, Democrats and Republicans would fight like dogs in the Senate chambers over issues.  But when the session adjourned, we were still friends.  We could socialize and solve issues.  Not any more.  The level of hostility is palpable."

That meeting was more than two decades ago.  The animus has worsened.

Both parties champion compromise when they are in power.  The party out of favor resists.  The needs of ordinary Americans are no longer the priority of Washington's pampered, entitled politicians. Thousands of special interest groups, flush with money, control both parties.  Don't doubt that.

As a country founded on the principle of freedom of expression, unrestrained speech is a blessing and often a cruse. The right to voice your opinions, no matter who it offends, is guaranteed.  People are embolden to speak honestly or utter falsehoods. Today that freedom is under fierce attack.

Social media titans, including Facebook and Twitter, arbitrarily ban content their censors find objectionable. No debate is allowed on issues such as vaccination, CDC health mandates, racial issues or any controversy that the social media cabal deems contrary to the progressive narrative.   

Even worse a majority of Americans get some or all of their news from the most unreliable source on the planet: social media.  According to some reports, about a half-a-billion tweets and Snapchat photos are shared every minute.  Add Facebook in the mix, and the numbers are nearly a billion.  

People use social media to vent their anger about everything from politics to customer service.  A Pew Research Center study found social media is a "significant contributor" to users' stress.  One Austrian research study discovered Facebook users moods are lower after engaging on the platform.

The legacy media--newspapers, television networks, online news platforms--once performed a public service by sorting fact from misinformation.  Today every news source without exception is guilty of bias, political favoritism, anonymous-sourced rumors and calculated negative reporting.

Research shows this development impacts our mental health.  A study in Psychology Today reported that the steady diet of negative news interfaces with "our cognitive biases, keeping our focus on everything that's going wrong, while blinding us to all the good things around us."

This combustible environment of noxious politics and poisonous news coverage is creating a dynamic of us-versus-them.  People are sick of politics and media but continue to wallow in the negative news and political morass with insatiable appetites.  We get the media and politicians we deserve. 

Politics and news may be the main triggers of general nastiness, but there are so many other influencers eroding civility.  Take patriotism. It was once unthinkable for any American to disrespect the nation's sacred flag.  Now the symbol of freedom is labeled a dog-whistle for racism.

Our flag no longer unites us.  It segregates the country.  How did this happen?

Too many Americans take their social and moral cues from multi-millionaire athletes and celebrities.  They exert an out-sized influence on Americans with their opinions, tweets, music, movies and behavior.  These self-appointed influencers are worshiped by a culture obsessed with celebrities.

Many gliterrarti preach hatred of America, faulting white nativism and racism for the nation's friction. The vitriol seeps into our consciousness.  We become depressed, angry, tribal.  Who advocates for all humans, regardless of race, creed or religion?  In fact, doing so ends up spurring more disunity.

As if the country needed more strife, there is a growing schism between secularism and religious practice.  Elitists want church doctrine or faith principles to conform to today's political or social mores.  Churches need to change, they demand.  They dangle the threat of removing charitable status.     

Not since the Civil War, have the states been so un-united.  There are self-identified red states and blue states.  States collectively band together to fight against what they view as harmful federal legislation to their region.  Some, like California, are refusing to do business with other states. 

Throw into this incendiary recipe a measure of rural-urban division. Rural communities, the fabric of America, are some of the most harmonious places in the country.  There is a sense of shared values. Urbanites and suburbanites prize progressive ideals and mock the values in rural America.   

Sports once was America's escapism.  Everyone came together and enjoyed a football, basketball or baseball game and forgot whatever anxieties and problems existed outside the stadium. Now egocentric, powerful owners and rich, spoiled athletes are turning events into forums to air grievances.

Schools and colleges are plunging into ugly political scrapes by insisting on doctrinal changes in curriculum, outraging parents. Colleges erect so-called safe zones to protect students' sensitivities. Institutions of learning discourage debate, silence speech and insist on conformity.

In past eras, Americans regardless of political affiliation united whenever our military engaged in a conflict.  World War I and II fostered rare solidarity.  Citizens bonded to support the troops, sacrifice for the good of the nation and volunteer when called. 

Beginning with the Vietnam War and continuing with the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, public and political support for the military has flagged.  The soldiers who answered the call to duty have returned home to hostile receptions.  We blame the brave for what politicians have wrought.  

COVID is a perfect example of Americans inability to set aside political differences to rally to combat an enemy.  The pandemic was politicized by partisans. Soon people--not the virus--became the villains. Health experts berated Americans for not taking the virus seriously or refusing to wear masks.

Instead of rallying Americans to join in a common effort to defeat the virus, the tenor of the health advice dripped with contempt for those who dared to question the experts, including doctors and epidemiologists.  This tactic fueled suspion of science as well as the motives of health officials.  

Then governors stepped into the breech and created often ill-advised mandates that angered and confused ordinary folks. Guidelines changed and then contradictory protocols were issued.  Mistrust was rampant. Ugly confrontations erupted between masked and unmasked citizens.

Rudeness is at the heart of much of what ails this country.  Its symptoms are road rage, unruly airline passengers, public shouting matches, random shootings, street bullies and much more. Studies show that rudeness reacts like a contagion, spreading from person-to-person until it infects a whole nation.   

Perhaps, some readers reject this dystopian view.  However, there can be no disagreement this litany of schisms exist, triggering cynicism and general depression in our nation.  Suicides have risen sharply. More Americans suffer from clinical anxiety than ever before. Something is wrong.  Terribly wrong.

We deny it at the peril of ourselves and our nation.  At its core, this problem calls for unification of at least We The People.  We must temper our behavior, get involved, raise our voices, encourage others, search for common ground and pursue our better selves.  America will not change if we don't. 

Never underestimate the power of one American.  The course of our nation has been altered by lone voices over the centuries.  But we don't have to rely on just our own initiative.  

In closing, here are words of wisdom from Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker who was captured and sent to a Nazi concentration camp for hiding Jews in her home and aiding their escape during World War II: 

"In you look at the world, you'll be distressed.  If you look within, you'll be depressed,  If you look at God, you'll be at rest."

Sacrifices of America's Founding Fathers

America's founding fathers are the object of derision today.  Once revered for bravery and sacrifices, it is fashionable to judge these pioneers  as a bunch of slaveowners, racists and white supremacists. This narrative ignores historical scholarship and trivializes their contributions to creating our United States.  

It is time to set the record straight.  These courageous signers of the Declaration of Independence risked their lives, their fortunes and property to stand up to the world's mightiest power Great Britain.  On July 4, 1776, fearless representatives of the 13 colonies demanded their independence from British tyranny.

Among the 56 men who signed the declaration, five were captured and imprisoned during the Revolutionary War; 27 lost property and possessions to British raids; five forfeited their entire fortunes helping fund the Continental Army; and 12 fought the British as members of state militias.

Each leader knew he signed his death warrant by inking the document. This was an act of treason in the eyes of Britain's notorious King George III.  The monarch wanted to crush the rebellion with brute force as a warning to other British colonies around the world. Don't mess with Great Britain.

Here are a few vignettes describing the suffering, selflessness and valor of our founding fathers: 

Richard Stockton, a New Jersey delegate, was targeted by British troops.  The English commandeered his estate to use as their headquarters.  When they left, troops burned his library, private papers, furniture and clothes,  He was captured and imprisoned in a facility reserved for common criminals.

A Georgian, George Walton, served in his state's militia.  During the siege of Savannah, a British Army cannonball shattered Walton's leg, leading to his capture and imprisonment.  He was released after nine months in jail in a prisoner exchange with an English navy captain.

While Walton was held captive, his wife was captured by the British and jailed on an island in the West Indies. She too was eventually freed in a prisoner exchange. 

British mercenaries plundered the 400-acre farm of New Jersey delegate John Hart. After his farm was appropriated, Hart narrowly escaped marauding troops by fleeing his home.  During his absence, his wife died and his children were shipped off to live with neighbors. 

British troops ransacked then destroyed the estate of Pennsylvanian George Clymer during the battle of Philadelphia.   His life in tatters, Clymer converted his entire fortune to continental currency, a gutsy move in light of the colonies' meager chances of defeating the British. He donated it to the war effort.

Other patriots opened their vaults to fund the Continental Army. Carter Braxton of Virginia loaned 10,000 pounds sterling to Congress, but was never repaid.  He spent much of his remaining wealth outfitting American war ships. His largesse left him bankrupt after the end of the war.

Arthur Middleton, Edward Rutledge and Thomas Heyward Jr. joined state militias and were captured by the British and sent to a treacherous prison in St. Augustine, Florida.  British troops destroyed the Long Island estate of Francis Lewis.  His wife was imprisoned and tortured. 

You could fill a book with the grief and pain dealt by the British to those who dared to sign the Declaration of Independence.  Even historians today ignore the founders agony.  Their mission is to blaspheme their reputations by reducing these tenacious leaders to simply slaveholders. 

This biased, dubious narrative lacks perspective and discounts historical scholarship. Some dismiss the facts because history was written by white men and women.  This is reverse racism and assumes scholarly research, records and handwritten personal documents are mere reflections of prejudice.

Rewriting the nation's history through today's lens also reflects personal biases. The New York Times' 1619 Project is a classic example of injecting race into every aspect of the founding of the country to conjure a certain narrative, despite the documented evidence to the contrary.  

It is patently false to claim that all the declaration signers were slaveholders.  Records compiled by historians at Britannica Encyclopedia determined that 14 founders owned slaves at one time or another, including James Madison, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  

Seven never owned slaves, including John Adams, Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Paine.  Historians have been unable to ascertain through extensive research whether or not the remaining 25 men who affixed their names to the declaration ever owned a single slave.

Another fact often ignored is that many founding fathers opposed slavery at the time the declaration was written.  A majority of founders, with the exception of those from South Carolina and Georgia, included language in the Articles of Confederation prohibiting the importation of slaves to individual states.

After the declaration, attitudes of the founders from the northern colonies shifted. Many openly campaigned to end slavery.  Ben Franklin, who had owned slaves, freed his slaves and later became president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.  He signed petitions as early as 1790 to abolish slavery.

Jon Jay, one of the largest slaveholders in New York, joined Alexander Hamilton in founding the New York Manumission Society, establishing the New York African Free School in 1787.  Robert Morris, during the debate on the Constitution, advocated for its abolition, branding it a "nefarious institution."

A balanced view of history would, however, concede that when the last of the remaining founders died in the 1830's, slavery still existed in the United States.  Those who opposed the owning of human beings were unsuccessful in overcoming the interests of southern states in retaining slave labor.  

It is a sad footnote to the founders' contributions. Nevertheless the majority of the signers of the Declaration of Independence acted in the name of unity to preserve the fragile coalition of colonies. Without the support of southern states, the Revolutionary War would have been lost.

Whatever your personal view, it  does not change what happened at Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1776,  The United States became a nation, unshackled from British rule.  The valiant men who wrote and signed this famous document deserve our eternal gratitude not scorn.