. . . we celebrate our independence. Because 238 years ago a brave group of revolutionaries threw off a colonial power. That’s something that has happened around the world many times – both before and since. But . . .
. . . I think our greater achievement is this: for 225 years we have maintained a continuity of government (even in war), peacefully transferring power (that one’s just since Washington to Adams, so 214 years) over and over . That’s a testament to the brilliance of our constitution and our continuing respect for it. Good for us!
You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But you cannot have both.
Whatever Works 
Yes, America is unique in that even the three domestic wars we’ve fought never involved any attempt to violently transfer power via overthrowing the government. The closest we came was the Confederacy saying “we’re outta here!”
This is especially odd since, in the 1st major battle of the Civil War, the Confederacy both won and was within easy striking range of DC…but they chose not to advance or even particular harry the retreating loyalist forces.
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Perhaps jonolan that’s because the war was still new and this idea of shooting real bullets at the government that had been their own so recently was a bit unsettling. Of course everyone got over that soon enough.
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Well said, Moe. Happy Independence Day. 🙂
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You too sir. Saluting you . . .
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And that’s a tribute to the genius of ADams, Washington, et al, the likes of which we have searched for in Afganistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Uganda, and the United States, to virtually no avail. Never has this nation been managed by people so ignorant, and who know so little of their annals.
Best,
Ji
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What was it Churchill said about American’s utter ignorance of history? I’m too lazy to look it up but you probably know it.
For the Constitution, I think we can thank Madison and John Jay for the document itself. But that whole crowd – they towered above not just today’s politicians but there really was never such an assemblage of intellect and passion anywhere!
Sure could use some of that genius again.
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