“The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny
The question may seem more relevant if you discover that the United States Supreme Court ruled in 2010 (Citizens United v. Federal Eclections Committee) that corporations have the right to contribute hundreds of millions to any and all political campaigns, while the government restricts individuals to just a few thousands in contributions to each candidate. Did you know that corporations - which are mere legal fictions formed and protected by governments - have greater rights than living people. They have more “free speech” through financial contributions and to immunity from suit by people who they have wronged and harmed. And many other privileges as well.
How do you feel when you hear that popular candidates who fight for the people are driven out of office by millions of dollars of advertising smears donated by special interest and corporate lobbies. These are the same groups that have elected our Presidents for quite a few decades.
By now you may be wondering: who is supposed to pay off those trillions of dollars of federal debt to all those domestic and foreign debt holders? Surprise! It is We the People, of course. That is about $120,000 of debt for each American. Or perhaps $250,000 of debt for every American making over $100,000 a year? Note that states, cities and towns also owe substantial debt. And these governments’ debts - and thus your debt - just keep on growing.
Facing a Dark Future?
However, the future may be even darker than paying another three to seven percent of your income to the Internal Revenue Service for the rest of your life. Far too many Democrats and Republicans, think tank liberals and conservatives, left socialists and right Christian Nationalists, and even high tech billionaires envision a world where the government is your parent and you are just a kid. Remember childhood? When your parents frequently reminded you they knew what is best for you? Your “Parent the State”July 4, 2026 will tell you what to think and do, eat and buy, keep or toss, and even who you are allowed to “play with”. Naughty children get sent to their rooms. By the cruelest parents they are punished far worse.
That dark future seems to be rushing right at us, promoted by the designs of the wealthy and powerful to work together to achieve more wealth and power. They have many overlapping organizations and alignments, strategies and tactics, to achieve their goals. These groupings are described by many terms: the powers that be, the billionaire class, the power elite, state capitalists, the oligarchy, globalists, foreign lobbyists, or just “the elites”. And do not forget the particularly sneaky billionaire-funded astro-turfed activist movements, left and right. I use phrase that see most appropriate as I go.
Most of these wealthy and powerful groups worldwide are converging on the idea of creating what some actually believe are benevolent regimes to help the “masses.” However, critics label their regimes things like the surveillance state, the grid of control or the police state. These elites, oligarchs want to know your every thought and movement and have control of you property and money. That’s why they need all those giant, water and energy sucking, dangerously polluting data centers so many Americans have been rebelling against. To power the AI mass surveillance technology that will make sure we all “behave”. They already are imposing digital identification across the globe to gain access to the internet. And ethey are imposing digital financial systems in a several nations that allows government to “unbank” those who misbehave.
Whether or not these wealthy and powerful groups intend to, they seem to be fulfilling the predictions of the political theory “the Iron Law of Oligarchy”. It posits that all complex organizations, even ones initially democratic, eventually develop into oligarchies run by the wealthy and powerful. Being aware of that theory is how We the People can prevent it or oppose it.
The preceding paragraphs are images of freedom for the rich and powerful and tyranny for the rest of us. Every day all over the United States and all over the world the powers that be pass what the American colonists of the 1770s called “Pretended Legislation” to benefit themselves and “Intolerable Acts” to keep us under control. Laws that we would be absolute fools to tolerate. Laws made to benefit ruling class oligarchs and tyrants.
The Early Road to Independent Self-Governance
Americans in the 13 Colonies started rebelling in the 1760s when King George of England wanted to tax them to pay for the French and Indian Wars. Colonists protested minor taxes on stamps and tea. Today more than half our incomes are taxed, also in large part to pay for war. By April 19, 1775 American colonists in Massachusetts had had enough of the brutal suppression of minor acts of protest by the colonists. The Declaration of Independence ridiculed the King sending “swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance”.
Paul Revere rode out early morning April 19th from Boston to alert the whole British route that the army was coming for their weapons. His destination was the farm of Colonel James Barrett, head of the militia in Concord, MA. That’s where many of the weapons were stored. Revere was captured on the way but his compatriots rode on and alerted the militias at Lexington and Concord. The Americans lined up to face the British at Lexington where the first shots were fired. A battle followed soon after at Concord. The militias then chased the British army back to Boston. Some of the British did make it to the farm. Mrs. Barrett offered them tea. By then the weapons all had been hidden.
I particularly like this story because two of my maternal great grand fathers, Colonel Barrett and his son, fought at Concord. Another great grand father was at Lexington. I was particularly incensed when 218 years later, April 19, 1993, federal agents mass murdered with tanks and fire 96 civilians, mostly women, children and the elderly. That too was over “gun violations”. I wrote a popular book about that massacre soon after and war part of the years of citizen activism spurred by the massacre.
And do not get me started on my largely Irish family’s 500 years of rebellion against the British land grabbing, ethnic cleansing, genocidal Kings of England. Just knowing how fierce both my grandmothers were, I am sure I will find much of interest in that genealogy search someday.
Yes, protest and revolution are in my blood. Thus it is not surprising that I have spent 45 years of my life as a writer, artist, and liberty, peace and justice, peace and activist. Millions of Americans, who may not have heard their old family stories or investigated their genealogy, also are descended from those revolutionaries. And so many millions more of our ancestors revolutionized their own lives by leaving the tyranny of their home countries for freedom in America.
In short, by July 1776 the Americans of the 13 colonies were ready to declare independence from - that is, secede from - the British empire. Unfortunately, given the British cruelty, they believed their ongoing boycotts and protests were insufficient. So the 13 newly minted “states” created a Continental Congress and took up defensive arms against British aggression. Soon they issued their 1776 Declaration of Independence, blaring to the world that “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness), it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”
The fact that some of the signers were Indian fighters and slave owners makes some question their political theories. However, even today so many injustices still are carried out against American Indians and African-Americans by both GOP and right-wing bigots and Democratic Party virtue signaling welfare statists. I believe these words transcend the two hundred and fifty years which inadequately addressed those wrongs. They can provide hope for far greater progress in the future.
Americans fought a long war until victory over the British in 1781. They immediately organized as a loose confederation where each state retained the right to secede. Given various problems with those particular articles, in 1787 the 13 states called a constitutional convention to revise the articles. Their new Constitution was ratified in July 1788. Given the concern that individual rights were not sufficiently addressed, the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution were ratified in December of 1791. These are known as the “Bill of Rights”.
In 1789 the new government, with George Washington as its first president, was a great experiment in self-rule by consent of the people. They would have no more autocratic kings who made themselves the source of all law. In 1787 Benjamin Franklin was asked by a woman whether they had created a monarchy or a republic. His famous reply was: “A republic, if you can keep it.”
If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again.
As the above makes clear, our experiment in self-government by consent of the people seems to be failing. Thus I quote an old American saying: “try, try again”.
First, note that we have been sold the delusion of “majoritarian representation”. A majority elects representatives and the majority of those representatives pass laws in legislatures. This allegedly serves the people. However, in truth even in Presidential election years barely half of eligible voters show up to vote. Thus only 5% of eligible voters may elect the next congress person or mayor.
As for voting for laws in legislatures, only 50% of representatives may show for a vote, the usual “quorum” needed to allow a vote. And a large number sometimes abstain, perhaps to avoid annoying powerful interests or their own voters. Thus in both instances “majoritarian representation” easily gives way to “minority rule” by elites. That is how so many of our laws are passed, especially those that protect and advance economic oligopolies and monopolies.
Our allegedly “majoritarian representation” has lead to a massive American worldwide military presence; the CIA meddling in dozens of elections and coups; and 204 United States wars against Arab and Muslim countries since 1989. The Pentagons has tens of thousands of contractors and its military does infamously poor audits of the trillions of dollars it spends. Most of these wars are fought to bolster imperial pride, control or sustain allies and beef up the financial coffers of political factions and families.
Majoritarian representation has created departments and bureaus largely captured by corporate and foreign interests which write many of their regulations. It has created large bureaucracies through all levels of government; employees often prioritize paychecks, promotions and pensions over serving tax payers. Paying for all this private and public looting gobbles up half of the average individual’s federal income tax. However, this waste and fraud also is paid for by the Federal reserve printing money. This causes unrelenting inflation averaging 2% and more per year which undercuts incomes and savings. Polls for years have shown a majority opposed to all this warring and spending, but our bought and sold representatives do not listen.
Secondly, Americans have been forced to accept multiple layers of often unresponsive government. Right now each member of the United States House of Representatives has from 500,000 to one million constituents, far more than can be adequately represented. At the ballot box, those voters also have to negotiate multiple electoral races for their state’s lower and upper legislatures. And then there usually are even more races for local offices. Few voters have much knowledge of current issues at any level. So multiple layers of governance and an absence of transparency or accountability cut them further out of the loop. Meanwhile, there are many opportunities for bribery, theft and corruption at all levels of governance.
Why Do We the People Put Up with It?
Why do We the People let politicians get away with all this? To paraphrase a saying, you may not be interested in the politicians, but they are very interested in you. Politicians use high paid consultants skilled in propaganda and persuasion. They have learned to excel at panicking us into doing whatever they want. Fear of harm and the promise of protection are great motivators. Politicians emphasize terrorist attacks and the possibility of foreign invasion. They highlight crime and promise to punish criminals, even though most criminals are products of poverty and abuse. Many are caught using or selling drugs governments have chosen to make illegal. Governments promise to protect us from any annoyance or discomfort, large or small. Government often pays twice the price that a private company or non-profit might charge for the same services.
Politicians are skilled in the art of “divide and conquer” politics. They have a list of tricks to foment divisions between political parties, between races, ethnicities, religions, between men and women, and especially between citizens and immigrants. If we are too busy hating each other, we will not notice all the ways they use, abuse and loot us every day.
How can we bring about some systematic and coherent dismantling of all the federal, state and local bad laws that strangle and impoverish us? What constitutional tweaks, or legislative and bureaucratic weed chopping measures, might help? Will the ruling elites finally allow us to make necessary changes so that we can consent to, or reject, governance imposed upon us? Despite decades of patient work by activists and organizations, politicians have made relatively few constructive changes.
What will it take to motivate Americans to free themselves from their chains? Ever growing political and economic crisis, as we are experiencing now? Or catastrophic depression and even disastrous wars?
Do we have to wait for catastrophe before enough of us know that some form of dramatic alteration of - or even abolition of - this failed democratic republic may be the only solution? Or will we just wake up one morning and discover that the President, his henchmen and his military and his paramilitary thugs have just taken over our nation, liberty, lives and property?
A Few Ideas to Think About
Do we need some new re-distribution of power among the three branches of government and between the states and the federal government? Something better than a number of states seceding with their dubious boundaries and oppressive laws left intact? Or do we need something truly “evolutionary” and responsive to the needs and desires of our 340 million people who inhabit the United States’ almost four million square miles of territory?
I long have dreamed of a “small is beautiful” confederation of hundreds of autonomous cities and counties. Ones whose boundaries are formed based on rational geographical and ecological factors, not based on dictates of Kings or politicians from before the invention of the electric light. Ones where cities, counties, networks and confederated legislative bodies can reflect the true will of the people to be free of unnecessary restraints and institutionalized thieving. Having lived over 78 years in the Watchung plains, the Manhattan island, the Hollywood valley, the swamps of a district called Columbia, and now the north edge of the Delaware peninsula, I am very aware of the importance of place.
Do not confuse this dream with those of certain allegedly “libertarian” elite tech billionaires or politically connected real estate developers who are buying land from poor countries - and even seizing conquered lands like Gaza. They want private Utopias where they are the “tyrants” who make all the laws and punish those who disobey. Some of these men speak openly of their mad visions of using AI and bio-technology to rewrite human biology. Some dream of “uploading” their consciousness to silicon and traveling the universe on massive rockets. Others evidently want to insert “brain chips” into millions to make them excellent and reliable workers. Needless to say, these are not visions considerate of We the People,
Let us think creatively about all this. Could we decentralize power and create great numbers of far more democratic republics freely trading, networking and solving common problems across this continent - or all of the Americas? Can we improve our methods of deciding which laws We the People really need, as opposed to those passed behind doors to increase the wealth of the various elites? Can we use proven methods of more direct democracy and super-majority voting so that only truly necessary laws will be passed by direct votes with two-thirds necessary for passage? Will it be easier to have real transparency and accountability with a much smaller number of elected officials and bureaucrats in our smaller democratic republics?
All of this sounds like new experiments in liberty and democracy that we could be discussing. Instead we worry and fret over when digital identification and government-controlled money systems will impose a hated surveillance and control grid upon us!
We need to protect ourselves, our friends, our families from the power elites. We must end their defacto rights to constrict our lives through invasive, restraining and overlapping layers of inherently oppressive and unfair laws.
Or shall we instead merely allow ourselves to succumb to the oligarchs and “behave” like good children? Will we ignore the fact that month after month the resistant ones among us quietly disappear into who knows where? Just like the 20th Century Russians who disappeared into Siberian gulags or the German political, ethnic and religious minorities who disappeared into their death camps. Just like the tens of millions who died during mass starvations created by inept or brutal “commissars of the working class” in so many nations.
In this the 21st century we have seen seen Palestinians disappear into the torture chambers and hidden graves of the “holy land”. We have seen the United States and western nations bomb Muslim nations “into the stone age”, setting some back decades in culture and human rights. We have seen the thousands of uploaded videos of victims of genocide and war in the middle east and Africa, often paid for with our tax money. We know what our “leaders” are capable of.
We do not want such violence coming home to our country, cities, hometowns. We already have seen thousands of civilians kidnapped by masked government bullies in our streets. We have seen those who protested and called them out shot dead. Others have been arrested and imprisoned for decades on trumped up charges. Let us not be the victims of tyrants, right or left, ideological or pathological. That is not what we celebrate on Independence Day.
One Woman’s Challenge to Do It All Again:
Non-violently
At 78, holding on to life so I can finish a few more projects, I felt compelled to write this timely manifesto. I did not make my July 4th deadline for the whole book “I do Declare: Independence - A New American Experiment”. Hopefully I will make the August 2, 2026 deadline. (250 years after the final sofficial igning of the Declaration.) I will offer it as an inexpensive and accessable graphic magazine format. Even in PDFs in case some worry that some corporation will take back your paid-for e-book at its whim.
To end this introduction to my nearly completed book, I briefly describe the chapters I hope will inform and entertain you.
#1: an updated Declaration of Independence. (Read the original 1776 one now and see how familiar many of the complaints are!);
#2: the long train of domestic abuses;
#3: the long train of foreign entanglements and abuses;
#4: redresses already proposed or tried;
#5: alternate futures We the People might imagine and create.
The last two pages list 198 methods of nonviolent action from a well-known trilogy of books on nonviolent revolution. From my long history of dealing with SDS ranters, sabotage-promoting drug legalizers, black block provocateurs, “johnny get your gun” patriots, antifa warriors, and mad men looking for brutal opportunity, I do encourage nonviolent action. Vulnerable women, children and the elderly have a right to help create the new politics and the new world. They cannot be shunted aside, even threatened and bullied, by certain males, right and left, who are eager to provoke bloody battles. We do not have to be terrorized so they can prove their manhood, dominate the vulnerable or impose their violent state ideology.
Better that we all learn the techniques of successful nonviolent action to protect ourselves from every kind of bully. Save the weapons for actual defense against real, imminent and murderous armed attack.
So keep protesting - or start protesting - the “pretended legislation” that benefits mostly wealthy and powerful oligarchs and elites and reject the “intolerable acts” of control that surely are coming down the pike. And start thinking about the kind of world you want to create. The kind of world We the People consent to creating.
So Do Declare INDEPENDENCE
and let us start discussing the new American experiment - now.
© Carol Moore from the “First State” Delaware, July 4, 2026
