We hold these truths to be self-evident...

I started this morning to post an annotated version of the Declaration of Independence, in honor of the 4th of July weekend, to show just how far from the principles contained therein we have strayed in the last couple of hundred years...but it got too depressing....

So, I'll skip that for now.

We have become an institution, our government; a job bank, bearing little in common with the concepts our founders established. We are so busy pandering to, not the people, but small vocal clusters of people, interest groups and power bases and lobbying organizations...because we know that we need those aggressive clusters to go forward, to get elected and get elected with us people who will cooperate. Quid pro quo government. The concept has always been that those who show up make the laws and select the lawmakers, now it is subverted.

I'm not sure how valid that is in the philosophy of democracy. We have abandoned our principles for expediency, much as a vigilante kills because he has no patience for justice. We have lost our way as a nation, a people and, indeed, a faith.