We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.It seems to me that our beloved country has been maturing into the values set forth in this declaration. "All men" now includes those who were once slaves, and women who until 1920 were unable to vote.
The Great Depression prompted this country's' leaders to establish Social Security as a Safety net. In the 1960's, our leaders, realizing that Life and the pursuit of Happiness were impossible if people couldn't afford health care, instituted Medicare and Medicaid. Because these programs are designed to serve us, the citizens, rather than to make profits for investors, the efficiency and effectiveness of these programs can't be matched by private investment and insurance companies.
One area in which we as a country seem not to be maturing is "consent of the governed". When many citizens fail to vote, as in the 2010 General Election, it becomes possible for ideologues gain sufficient power to set upon dismantling programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; dedicate themselves to looking after the interests of a privileged few; and to refuse to consider closing tax loopholes and ending deficit-ballooning tax breaks.
As Involved Voters, we can turn this situation around. Knowledge is power. Americans as a whole are poorly informed about where the money they invest in our government through paying taxes goes. Here is a web site that can help counteract this: Your Federal Taxpayer Receipt. Before you visit the site, I recommend that you take a guess at what your income tax is supporting and then see how close you are to the actual percentages.
With our rights as citizens come responsibilities. Being an informed voter is one of them. Insisting that our elected officials act in the best interests of all Americans is another.
