Fourth of July 2016 – Let’s Move Toward More Independence

The Declaration of Independence was approved today on the fourth of July in 1776 by 56 members of the Continental Congress. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston comprised the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration. Jefferson, rightly regarded as the strongest, most eloquent writer, drafted most of the document.

John Hancock, President of the Second Continental Congress, was the first signer, and a merchant by trade. In 2014, there were 7.6 million business establishments with paid employees in the U.S.; 1.1 million, like Hancock, were in the retail trade industry. Two future presidents signed, John Adams (second President) and Thomas Jefferson (third President). Both died on the 50th anniversary of signing the Declaration (July 4, 1826). There are 12 counties nationwide named Adams and 26 named Jefferson.

Thirteen colonies with 2.5 million people then embarked on a thus far enduring experiment in self-governance as a sovereign nation. There were some 24,382,182 people back then reporting English ancestry. That was the start of our legacy. Let us renew our faith in their fighting spirit and move – relentlessly – toward more independence after the celebrations are over.

China makes our Fireworks?

An Independence issue now is amorphous U.S. policy conducted – alas – at most times directed in Washington by big money interests that care not about the health or welfare of the U.S  or its citizens.

Parades, baseball games, fireworks and barbecues will mark this Fourth of July holiday, as always, in what are now 50 states with 321.4 million people. Consider here that the value of fireworks imported from China in 2015, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported was $324.8 million. U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just a paltry $12.7 million in 2015, with Singapore purchasing more than any other country at $4.6 million. We can’t even make our own fireworks to celebrate our Independence?

Unfortunately, as a result of political and egregious Supreme Court decisions and our government comprised of craven “pay to play” politicians, we are not as free as we should be given our heritage. We remain dependent on foreign oil from nations that are openly hostile toward us. They would destroy us given the chance. The Republican Congress refuses to allocate the funds needed for the maintenance of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve – a three-month cushion against an oil embargo. This is the largest emergency supply of oil in the world, with the capacity to hold up to 713.5 million barrels. The U.S right now imports nine million barrels of oil a day, much of it coming from the Middle East and OPEC. Some chuckle-heads are even advocating that we sell the oil off!

We continue to support dictatorships with billions in bribes called –  I say cynically – “foreign aid.” How about some American aid? We are actually helping the recruiting of terrorists who would kill you and I because of our State Department policy of supporting nations on both sides of an issue. The Middle East is a perfect  and timely example: Are we for democracy, or are we standing with despots and dictators?

We give aid to both sides and have hopelessly destabilized the region – thank you George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. How’s the search for weapons of mass destruction going? You falsely promised that we would be welcomed as liberators, when in fact we are despised by all sides and thwarting other people’s attempts at independence from corrupt governments.

This current national security threat caused by the politics of oil – and most of the threat is really to our alleged European allies –  not only distorts our foreign policy, it sends our patriotic young men and women off to face death in needless and as it turns out unfunded wars because of tax cuts for the wealthy while our middle class was decimated. This is a problem that goes back to President Nixon, a corrupt politician who should have been impeached.

The negative result is in evidence in our foreign military bases that support the economies of other nations. We are currently occupying, oh, 130 countries and paying for their defense – while they concentrate on job creation at home and exports to the US. This contributes to our unacceptable unemployment rate and worse a shrinking labor-force participation rate. We have the world’s two largest moats – the Atlantic and Pacific oceans – we control the seas and the sky. We don’t need to be over there.

Salute Our Past – Use it for a Stronger Future

We should celebrate our feisty past today, and honor the men and women of vision – and property – who created wealth, who established this country starting with the War of Independence, continuing through the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution that is still in place – as fine a document of governance of the people, by the people and for the people that ever existed.

Remember well the resounding words of its preamble – WE THE PEOPLE – not we the 1%. In addition, we need to toss out of office the craven people who do not understand WE, who are in it just for ME.

Therefore, it is in this spirit that AutoInformed looks to celebrate future Independence Days – ones that build on our past, but moves to an even more independent future and stronger economy. Let us start with a new Energy Independence Day. Then let us add a Debt Independence Day. And how about another Independence Day – celebrating our renewed rejection of foreign wars and entanglements that our founding fathers were so fearful of – all this for the people, of the people and by the will and sacrifices of our people.

• Shame on us for forgetting that independence is our tradition and independence is our national strength.
• Shame on us for forgetting that independence from corrupt foreign governments made us a great country that looked after its own citizens and eschewed alliances with stealing, murderous old world politicians and now newer 21st century despots and thieving politicians some of them reading here.
• Shame on us for allowing our arsenal of democracy to be severely hurt by imports from nations that we might ultimately have to fight to maintain our independence.

In the spirit of 1776, the 18th century year that was the start of something great, let us find our fighting spirit once again and move toward other types – but nonetheless needed – vital forms –of independence.