If You Can Keep It!

Scott Cooper

Today millions of Americans will go out to celebrate July 4^th. 

As is often the case these days when I reflect on the liberty our generation has inherited, liberty which is dissipating in our life time - I have a knot in my stomach.  That knot is especially tight today.  Why?  Because today millions upon millions will go out and celebrate their inheritance, then return tomorrow to their lives where they do absolutely nothing to help retain that liberty to pass on to their children and grand-children.

I think of Benjamin Franklin, when he exited Independence Hall on that day and was asked by a woman, “Dr. Franklin, what type of government have you given us?”  His reply – “A Republic, IF you can keep it.”

Will We Keep It?

Our Government was forged in the ideas of Individual Liberty, Personal Responsibility and Private Charity.  We were founded on Independence – thus we celebrate the Declaration of Independence with “Independence Day.” 

So as we celebrate Independence Day today, a valid question of accountability for the government which was formed 13 years after Independence Day by The Constitution, to protect that Independence, should be: Is our government creating an environment which fosters that which we celebrate today, “Independence?”  

I would submit to you, our government has spent over the last half century creating dependency.  With dependency comes control and with greater control comes loss of liberty.  The end result – loss of all that we are celebrating today.  Both parties are to blame for this.  One has created a dependency at the lower level of the society, and one has created dependency through “Crony Capitalism.”  Neither is right – both are against our principles, and both are contributing to the loss of the Liberty we celebrate today.

Will We Keep It?

Two personal experiences come to mind this morning:

1.            Beginning in 2010, I had the privilege of participating in several parades – walking with a conservative who was working hard to get elected.  The parades were always centered on some piece of American History.  I vividly remember one of these parades, as I was shaking hands meeting folks being asked by a group on the sidewalk – “If I vote for your candidate, what are they going to give me?” 

Let that sink in, and the consequences of that rampant mentality that has been bred into our society.  Our citizenry looks to our politicians, not as defenders of Individual Liberty, Limited Government and Free Markets, which has created the largest middle class in human history, but as Santa Clause.

2.            In 2008, while still in banking, I began a relationship with a prominent doctor.  Although still in his early 50’s, he was in the final stages of his “exit strategy” from the work he had invested his life in.  His exit had nothing to do with his love of medicine, or his desire to practice.  It had to do with a government that had made it impossible for him to continue practicing.  This man, in the height of his practice during the 1990’s had 17 doctors and over 10 administrative workers in two offices servicing three hospitals.  When I met him in 2008, due to bureaucracy created by government, he had already implemented phase I, which was to become a one doctor operation with one administrative assistant, his wife.  Based on the trends he saw in Washington, he had cut his schedule to ensure his practice never earned more than $ 250,000 again and his plan was to be out of medicine all together within 5 years. 

This is only one of many, many situations in banking that truly caused me to grieve for our country – and the loss of Independence we are experiencing.

Will We Keep It?

We have a great heritage to keep.  We have an inheritance to defend and protect.  We have an obligation to ensure the liberty which has been bequeathed to us isn’t squandered in our lifetime and a huge debt left to our grandkids who aren’t even born yet to pay.

It is only fitting that today we celebrate our Independence.  We should invest time with friends, family and neighbors.  We should do the cookouts.  We should do the parades.  We should spend money on fireworks and festivities.  It is a grand occasion. 

But the question we should all ask ourselves – as we drive home from the fireworks tonight:  “What am I personally doing to ensure we maintain this inheritance so that I may bequeath the same blessings to my children and grandchildren?

Inaction is indeed action.

There Will Be No Draft for this engagement.

A good place to start is to join Tea Party Patriots, and enter your ZIP CODE to find a group near you and get involved.  They are not focused on creating dependency – but holding BOTH political parties accountable to the principles we celebrate today.

Happy Independence Day!  May we bless God again, so that He may choose to bless us!