John Elson, CFP®, CDFA®’s Post

Happy Independence Day! This is a great article to read and share about our Constitution. It lists five things most people don't know about this remarkable document.

How to Read the Declaration of Independence

Wishing everyone a Happy Independence Day and this message from Dr. Kennedy, President of ACIR. Best, Kevin Once again, the 4th of July is upon us. The gathering of family, a cookout, a fun day, ending with fireworks in the evening. However, I wonder how many reflect on the true meaning of the day. Yes, it is the day in 1776 that Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence. But it is much more. It set the path to the founding of our great democratic republic, an experiment in self-government, on a scale not matched in history. Acknowledging the tyranny of the King and fearing its repeat in their new government, the Declaration of Independence was soon followed by a Constitution that, underwritten by the rule of law and checked by the vote of the people, was not only to protect the rights set forth in the Declaration, but also expressly designed to limit the powers of the president. To further limit the rise of tyranny from any one governing body, the Founding Fathers created three separate branches of government – legislative, executive, and judicial, to serve as a check on each other. Today, too often, we take this detail of our democracy for granted. We have allowed the deterioration of these basic tenants to be commonplace and unnoticed. We have forgotten the great sacrifices made to establish and strengthen our democracy, the battles fought to maintain it, and the struggles to advance the ideals set out by the Declaration and Constitution. We have become complacent. If our democracy is to endure, it must be constantly nourished. It is not the price of butter that has made our nation great. It is not the price of a gallon of gas or a head of lettuce. It is our democracy. It is our ideals as a nation, however slow and imperfect the realization of those ideals has been. It is the opportunity, the creativity, the dynamic environment afforded by our democratic government, and the rule of law that cause people to flock to our shores that make this country the envy of people around the globe. Protect it or lose it. Bob Kennedy President Atlanta Council on International Relations

Happy Independence Day! Excerpt from President Cavin Coolidge's speech on the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence: ***** July 5, 1926 "About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers."

The Abiding Legacy and Principles of the Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is a foundational document in American history, enshrining principles that continue to shape the nation. Its enduring legacy rests on several core ideas: Key Principles Unalienable Rights: The document asserts that all individuals are endowed with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This concept has been a cornerstone of American jurisprudence and political philosophy. Consent of the Governed: The Declaration emphasizes that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. This principle underpins the idea of popular sovereignty and has been a driving force behind democratic movements worldwide. Right to Revolution: The document posits that when a government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it. This principle has inspired revolutionary movements around the globe. Abiding Legacy The Declaration's legacy is evident in the following ways: Foundation of American Democracy: The document provides a philosophical framework for American democracy, emphasizing individual liberty, limited government, and popular sovereignty. Inspiration for Global Movements: The Declaration's ideals have inspired struggles for freedom and self-determination in nations across the world. Check on Government Power: The Declaration serves as a reminder of the people's ultimate authority and the importance of holding government accountable. In essence, the Declaration of Independence is more than a historical document; it is a living testament to the American experiment in self-governance and a beacon of hope for people seeking liberty and justice around the world.

Never underestimate what angry people can accomplish. What many people don't realize is that most of the ideas in this document were actually British (European, at least) and we had already been at war for a year hoping for reconciliation. The Declaration of Independence illustrates the consequences for not living up to your own ideals and to this day embodies the division in the world between those places people are going to and those places people are leaving. The continued failure of Marxist, totalitarian, collectivist, and communitarian ideals was foretold by this Declaration. https://lnkd.in/gKvgZmVs

The Declaration of Independence was a PR tactic. While debating the idea of breaking with Great Britain, the Continental Congress - a 56-person body - formed a committee of five to draft a message to the people if independence became a reality. The Congress knew then what is now self-evident: public entities must explain and over-explain every action and justify every deed. That message to the people needed to adequately convey the rationale to the American colonists for leaving the safety and security of the British crown. With the words of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman, the Declaration -- ratified on this date in 1776 -- did just that. While many only remember the first few words of the document ("When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another..."), the rest of it is a lengthy press release with a bulleted list of assaults on the freedoms of the American colonists taken by King George III and his government. It worked spectacularly. Eventually, after much debate and a seven-year-long war, the American colonists got on board with the notion of beginning our path to self-determination. Two hundred and forty-eight years later, we stand here because of an idea ... and the most famous press release in the history of the world. Happy 4th! #PR #publicrelations #publicaffairs #July4 #Independence #freedom #holidays #pressrelease

Are we UNITED and free? How did we forget this TODAY? It is our DUTY to fight for the rights of the individual and for a better world. RESIST tyrants. We all can learn from The Declaration of Independence. 🦉 REMEMBER. This is your interpretation. It can be your school's principal. Your evil corporate boss. AI. The controlling matriarch of the family. The "leader" of the friend group. Or a certain political party or government. You DECIDE. But one thing is for certain... NO MORE. It only takes 6 letters to crush TYRANNY. Fitting in the lead up to the 4th of July. 🌟 Believe that there is always a way around any SUPPRESSION. What we tolerate equals our reality. Awareness. The dark can be the light. OPPORTUNITY can be created in the most inconspicuous areas. How can we IMPROVE our world and society? 🕊 "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. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. ...all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. 🌎 He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers..." 🦁 The circle of life is threatened. What kind of new, peaceful world can we CREATE together?

Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress ratified this historic document, officially establishing the United States of America. #INDEPENDENCEDAY #top10

The significance of the Declaration of Independence cannot be overstated. It marked the establishment of a new nation based on revolutionary principles that shaped the course of history. For the first time, a nation was founded upon fundamental ideals such as the rule of law, unalienable rights, limited government, the Social Compact, equality, and the right to alter or abolish oppressive government. Contrary to misconceptions, the American Revolution was not waged for trivial reasons like lower taxes or the preservation of slavery. The catalysts for revolution were rooted in the pursuit of justice and liberty. The Declaration of Independence boldly declared the foundational beliefs of the Founding Fathers, proclaiming the self-evident truths that all men are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights by their Creator. The six founding First Principles articulated in the Declaration were revolutionary in their time and remain so today: The Rule of Law: The Declaration affirmed the principle that both government and citizens are bound by the law, rejecting the notion that rulers are exempt from legal constraints. Equality: Despite falling short of this ideal in practice, the Founding Fathers were the first to espouse the principle of equality, challenging the historical reality of entrenched privilege and inequality. Unalienable Rights: The Declaration introduced the concept of rights inherent to every individual, not granted by government but derived from a higher authority and thus beyond government infringement. Social Compact: It proposed that government exists by the consent of the governed to safeguard their rights, marking a departure from authoritarian rule and coercion. Limited Government: The Declaration advocated for restricting governmental powers to the protection of citizens' rights, preventing overreach and tyranny. Reform and Revolution: Asserting the right to reform or overthrow unjust governments, the Declaration underscored the revolutionary spirit of the American people and their commitment to liberty. The enduring influence of the Declaration of Independence cannot be overstated. While humanity has often fallen short of its ideals, the document has served as a beacon of hope and progress, inspiring transformative changes across time and nations. Without the principles enshrined in the Declaration, the world would likely still be mired in the darkness of oppression that plagued earlier eras. #USA, #americanrevolution, #liberty, #4thofjuly, #independence