Examining the Declaration of Independence
Ratified on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was the first document of it's kind. Advocating for a governing body, whose purpose was to serve the citizens it represented, it diagrams a central government whose power results from the consent of its citizens to be governed.
The authors of the Declaration put their faith and their trust in the ability and judgement of its citizen's, both at the time and those to be born.
The Declaration of Independence was a methodical blueprint for the operation for a democratic, sovereign nation. It not only secured the sovereignty of the United States, but formulated the first democratic gubernatorial model.
Thomas Jefferson, who penned the Declaration, with the help of fellow patriots and political idealists like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. He eagerly borrowed elements of political theory written by John Locke, a prominent political philosopher and colleague of Jefferson's. Locke felt the foundation of an ideal government was rooted in its determination to protect the interests of it's citizens. Unlike a monarchy, whose rule was absolute, a democratic central government is a mixed, symbolic body. It is made of branches that can only function with each other. In this way, no one branch could operate autonomously, and no national law could be introduced and enforced by just one branch of the government. (Sounds good in theory, but Locke had no way to know about the 112th Congress).
In addition, Locke felt that the innate rights of its citizens were the most important in a functional democratic government. Rather than serve It's own interest, the ideal government would dedicate itself to protecting the "inalienable" rights of its citizens.
The Founding Fathers were so honked-off by the treatment by King George they made sure there were provisions in the Declaration of Independence for citizens to overthrow the government. Our government was designed to be of public service to us, the we in "We the People"....,
Finally, the writers of the Declaration of Independence really tried to add some humanity in this document, and it succeeded, even if it was written by old, white, men. So all you jack-wagons out there spouting self-serving phrases from the Declaration and the Constitution. Read the damn things before you go off the rails on your personal crazy train and run over someone!
The authors of the Declaration put their faith and their trust in the ability and judgement of its citizen's, both at the time and those to be born.
The Declaration of Independence was a methodical blueprint for the operation for a democratic, sovereign nation. It not only secured the sovereignty of the United States, but formulated the first democratic gubernatorial model.
Thomas Jefferson, who penned the Declaration, with the help of fellow patriots and political idealists like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. He eagerly borrowed elements of political theory written by John Locke, a prominent political philosopher and colleague of Jefferson's. Locke felt the foundation of an ideal government was rooted in its determination to protect the interests of it's citizens. Unlike a monarchy, whose rule was absolute, a democratic central government is a mixed, symbolic body. It is made of branches that can only function with each other. In this way, no one branch could operate autonomously, and no national law could be introduced and enforced by just one branch of the government. (Sounds good in theory, but Locke had no way to know about the 112th Congress).
In addition, Locke felt that the innate rights of its citizens were the most important in a functional democratic government. Rather than serve It's own interest, the ideal government would dedicate itself to protecting the "inalienable" rights of its citizens.
The Founding Fathers were so honked-off by the treatment by King George they made sure there were provisions in the Declaration of Independence for citizens to overthrow the government. Our government was designed to be of public service to us, the we in "We the People"....,
Finally, the writers of the Declaration of Independence really tried to add some humanity in this document, and it succeeded, even if it was written by old, white, men. So all you jack-wagons out there spouting self-serving phrases from the Declaration and the Constitution. Read the damn things before you go off the rails on your personal crazy train and run over someone!