Some people complain about the commercialization of Christmas. What I’m worried about are folks forgetting the true meaning of the Fourth of July.
We don’t celebrate July 4th for the sake of the date itself. July 4th is important because it’s Independence Day the day that our Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was unveiled to America and the world.
On July 4th 1776, America was born as a separate and independent nation, and the first nation ever conceived in liberty for every person. Our experiment with self-government began on July 4th. But it didn’t stop there.
We had to build a new government, brick by constitutional brick. The patriots who built that government did a great job, but they weren’t perfect.
One thing they failed to provide for was term limits. Thomas Jefferson was unable to attend the
Monday, June 21, 1999
Constitutional Convention. He worried that without term limits the new government would slowly change from one representative of the people to a government benefiting the politicians. Jefferson said: “Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on office, a rottenness begins in his conduct.”
For a century and a half, few legislators served for long periods. But then the power and perks of office began to grow, and today, career politicians cling to office like barnacles to a rusty hull. Since 1776 we have continued to fight to protect and expand freedom. That’s something we should remember on Independence Day.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.