What’s your proclamation?

The Democratic Party did a press release on Independence Day lamenting modern day America. I’ll admit our system of government can be confusing, but for the people that run the Democratic Party, it was particularly confusing on Independence Day. For good, big hearted Democrats, it has to be frustrating to see party leadership so focused on wrongs that they can’t celebrate what’s right about America,

Let’s start with the bold premise that our founding was unlike any in history. Our predecessors had the advantage of learning from centuries of really bad governance. You’ve got to go back to Vlad Tepes or Genghis Khan to find an benevolent dictator (just kidding!) I think most would acknowledge that kings, tyrants and despots are pretty lousy at the whole individual rights thing. Our Founding Fathers created a different system – one that doesn’t rely on the King’s granting of rights, but instead acknowledges our rights come from God. We’ve strayed from that at times, but we still mostly follow that ideal.

So how did the Democratic Party choose to honor this special day? Not with celebration but with dismay. They claim that America’s founding promise is out of reach for “too many.” That people are struggling to find “good paying jobs,” and I’ll give them that even with unemployment at record lows nationally, there are spots where unemployment remains high (usually in Democratic controlled cities, interestingly.) However, where is it in the Constitution the government’s job to get anyone a job, high-paying or otherwise? The Dems get confused on that.

They lament that people can’t get the “health care that they need,” but what they mean is free health care. There is no constitutional right to government paid health care, there just isn’t. Congress can pass laws for the betterment of society under the “elastic clause” of the Constitution: “The Congress shall have Power … To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.” In fact, Justice Roberts cited Congress’ taxing authority to uphold Obamacare. I’m all for better solutions to health care, but generally government is the problem. Free doesn’t solve inefficiencies, but it sure will exacerbate the problem.

The Dems go on to lament that “thousands of children have been separated from their parents at our southern border.” That begs the obvious question: Who did the Bill of Rights apply to? Let’s start at the beginning of the Constitution: “We the People of the United States…” Do you see it applying to everyone in the world? Me either. Do we try to spread liberty around the world? Sure, more than any nation in history by a factor of a million times. But I’m just not worked up about people trying to illegally enter the U.S. on our Independence Day.

“At our highest court, workers’ rights are being taken away…” the Dems claim. I guess they are referring to the recent Supremes decision that allowed union members to decide whether they want to support a union’s political agenda or not. The decision seems in line with the premise of the Declaration of Independence that a King doesn’t control us.  True, corporations do essentially the same thing, but at least I can choose to be a shareholder of the corporation. I can’t opt out of the union in states that mandate I must belong to the union to have a job. The Supremes decision empowered the individual over the collective.

Dems lament that “Muslim Americans are being discriminated against for their faith.” Why did they favor Muslims? Why not just say “Americans”? I’m not for discriminating against anyone for their religious beliefs so long as they don’t try to impose their beliefs on me. Want to be agnostic? Want to be a chicken worshipper? Fine with me. But I like chicken sandwiches, so don’t make it so I can’t eat chicken, cause we’re gonna have trouble.

I won’t bore you with their summation, but it was equally awful so I wrote my own. “Hey, this is the greatest country on Earth! We can always do better, and we will excel in the years ahead, but we do more for the world than everyone else combined. I’m happy to live in the land of the free and home of the brave, where countless Americans of all races, colors, genders, creeds, national origins, ancestry and so on have fought against evils like slavery and oppression the world over to expand liberty for all people. I’m glad that I got a chance to learn about that sacred liberty, the sacrifices involved and to live a life of freedom. I’m not dismayed, I’m thrilled! God Bless America!”

That’s my July 4th proclamation. What is yours?