Written by Frank Li
Tomorrow (November 28, 2013) is “Thanksgiving” in the U.S. Aside from having a family get-together, turkey, and watching football, what do you do? Thinking about and thanking anybody and everybody in your mind, right?
I’d like to thank our founding fathers, with a remainder that all Americans should be thankful to them, as we owe them everything …
1. Who are the founding fathers?
According to Wikipedia,
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were political leaders and statesmen who participated in the American Revolution by signing the United States Declaration of Independence, taking part in the American Revolutionary War, and establishing the United States Constitution. Within the large group known as the “Founding Fathers”, there are two key subsets: the Signers of the Declaration of Independence (who signed the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776) and the Framers of the Constitution (who were delegates to the Constitutional Convention and took part in framing or drafting the proposed Constitution of the United States). A further subset is the group that signed the Articles of Confederation.[2]
Many of the Founding Fathers owned African American slaves and the Constitution adopted in 1787 sanctioned the system of slavery.[3] The Founding Fathers made successful efforts to contain or limit slavery throughout the United States and territories, including banning slavery in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, and abolishing the international slave trade in 1807.
Some historians define the “Founding Fathers” to mean a larger group, including not only the Signers and the Framers but also all those who, whether as politicians, jurists, statesmen, soldiers, diplomats, or ordinary citizens, took part in winning American independence and creating the United States of America.[4] Historian Richard B. Morris in 1973 identified the following seven figures as the key Founding Fathers: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.[5] Three of these (Hamilton, Madison and Jay) were authors of the Federalist Papers, advocating ratification of the Constitution.
2. What is so special about our founding fathers?
They were all imperfect men! For example, many were slave-owners and some were notorious womanizers.
They were all experienced and wise men! Together, they created a marvelous piece of framework for America, which has proven to be the best on earth over the past 200 plus years!
Better yet, they left us with two pieces of invaluable advice as follows:
America was founded as a republic, not a democracy (i.e. specifically without one person, one vote)!
The Constitution should be changed over time, as no human being could have been so wise as to foresee every possible future circumstance.
Let’s look at democracy and the Constitution more closely …
2.1 On democracy
Do you agree with them?
Unfortunately, over the past 200 years, America has progressively morphed itself into a full-blown democracy (i.e. one person, one vote), resulting in so much trouble today, with no easy way out – exactly as predicted by the founding fathers, more than 200 years ago!
2.2 On the Constitution
Yes, it has been right for America to amend its Constitution over the past 200 plus years. Unfortunately,
Some amendments were wrong (e.g. changing the top political offices from unpaid to paid).
Some items in the original Constitution are simply out of date, such as the minimum age for the American Presidency which remains at 35 (American Presidency: Raising The Minimum Age to 55!).
We must have a new amendment: term-limits for Congress!
In other words, while we have progressed over time (e.g. women can vote now, as can the minorities), we have made mistakes too, with the worst being some Presidential screw-ups.
3. Presidential screw-ups
Three examples:
President Kennedy: Within 20 years, JFK will be recognized as the worst American President ever, when America finally realizes the magnitude of the damage he caused by allowing public-sector unions in 1962 (Executive Order 10988). As America fails, city by city and state by state, due to unaffordable wages, perks, and pensions for public-sector employees, the collapse will rightfully be attributed to him. Now, why 20 years? It’s a measurement to see which one will last longer: American democracy (69 years from 1964 to 2033) or Soviet communism (74 years from 1917 to 1991)
President George W. Bush: The Iraq War.
President Barack Obama: Obamacare. My fellow Americans, if you still have any doubt, look at this image and think …
4. Discussion
Throughout human history, great nations have risen and fallen. They rose for one and only one reason: they were exceptional for a period of time. They fell primarily for one reason as well: self-destruction!
Which country is rising (again), after falling badly? China! For more, read: America: What is China, Anyway?
Which country is falling? All the major democracies! Specifically,
Is Japan falling? Yes! For more, read: America: What is Japan, Anyway?
Is EU falling? Yes! For more, read: America: What is EU, Anyway?
Is the U.S. Falling? Yes! For more, read: What is America, Anyway?
Should the U.S. fall? No!
Should the U.S. fall so precipitously? Hell no!
5. Closing
History is always the best judge for greatness. Look at America today and look at the framework on which America was founded, and you will be amazed to see the wisdom of our founding fathers.
America is still standing tall today, largely because of this framework and its momentum, despite all the screw-ups by the later generations, especially President Kennedy and President Obama! For more, read my first book: “Saving America, Chinese Style”.
For a complete solution, read my new book: “The GOP Bible for 2016”!
Happy Thanksgiving!
