Two hundred and twenty-three years ago the framers issued a Declaration of Independence. When they did, they did so with the feeling it was necessary to "declare the causes which impel them to the separation." They wrote of "unalienable rights," rights that no one gave us, and no one can take from us. They acknowledged that in order "to secure these rights, governments are instituted." However, they were quick to note that governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed." That means "We the people."

The Declaration goes on to reference "a long train of abuses and usurpations." The framers delineated the history of "repeated injuries and usurpations." In the wake of the socialist inclinations of our current government, it is fascinating to compare what sparked our forefathers to break with their established government.

I recently had occasion to spend some time with John de la Brown, a former member of parliament for 15 years. At one event he made an amusing reference to "that unfortunate misunderstanding we had over taxation." I responded by reminding him and our audience that "notwithstanding the credentials and distinction of our learned guest, the first three battles of the Revolution were not about taxation, or representation, but were a response to the British efforts of Gun Control.

In 1776, 56 men of substance, with much to loose, executed a document they knew could result in their deaths and most certainly change their comfortable lives. Five of those men were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had homes ransacked and burned. Two lost sons in the War for Independence. Nine of the signers fought and died from wounds or hardships.

For several years I have sent out thousands of a wonderful piece written by called "The price they paid," and I suggest you click here to read it yourself. Those 56 men were a dynamic minority. They represented only .002 percent of the colonial population, and they changed the world.

A similar percentage of today's 268 million Americans would be 5,360. Reportedly, there are over 30,000 grass roots organizations in this country that claim to be constitutionally grounded. They include some 40 million American "patriots." So why are the socialists successful in continuing to undermine, abrogate, and trash our "unalienable rights"?

The framers signed the declaration "with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence," and as they said, "we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." Those men of substance, station, and money, willingly sacrificed their "lives, and fortunes" but maintained and immortalized their "sacred honor."

Today, we are represented by men and women who swear a sacred oath to "preserve and protect the Constitution of the United Sates against all enemies foreign and domestic." Sadly, most immediately set out to undermine, abrogate or destroy the very document to which they have sworn a sacred oath. One California congresswoman, Ellen Tauscher, has even proclaimed, "...the Constitution is like my old blue dress -- it doesn't fit anymore." Yet she swore an oath promising to "preserve and protect" it.

Today, we accept and permit the abuse of Executive Orders and Presidential Decision Directives which replace Congress' constitutional mandate.

Today, we accept and excuse a president despite an abundance of documented evidence he has lied, cheated, abused his position of power and authority and given aid and comfort to a known enemy.

Today, the Constitution is threatened with and by international treaties designed to undermine or abrogate the framers' intent, by eviscerating both the form and substance of the founding documents.

Today, the socialists ensnare us in international agreements like NAFTA, GATT, the IMF and the World Bank.

Today, the very concept of privacy is routinely attacked by arrogant autocrats who presume to control us by fiat.

Today, our president says it would be inappropriate to return tax surpluses to the very people from whom it was extracted, because they/we can't be trusted to spend it correctly.

Today, (just last week) "individual medical records, including patients genetic information, could be disclosed to health insurers to credit-card companies and other financial institutions because of legislation overwhelmingly approved by the House."

Today, as in history, we see "erected a multitude of new offices," complete with the "swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance."

Today, as in history, we see an effort "affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power." Concurrent with massive reductions in force to make the military both less of a threat to the government, and incapable of performing their primary function without international support.

Today, as before, we suffer officials "imposing taxes on us without our consent" and without proper authority. They say the "Gore tax" isn't a tax, but a fee -- pure sophistry (which is polite language for Bullfeathers).

Today, as before, we are denied "in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury."

Today, as before, our government again takes "away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments."

Today, government maintains the fiction of representative government while in fact "suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever."

Today, our president has mirrored the offenses of King George, and turned our military force into a globalist aggressor. "He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation."

Do you see the frightening parallels between then and now?

Like our forefathers before us, "We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us.... We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and (begged them to) disavow these usurpations."

The natives are restless. Unless or until the chronic, routine and escalating string of abuses is corrected, and both the form and substance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights is restored, there is a very real danger that some .002 percent will again reach that point of diminishing return, and substitute words for action. There are growing numbers of Americans who love their country but have no reason to trust their government.

This analysis is not radical right wing babbling. And don't anyone dare suggest such a train of thought is unpatriotic. Teddy Roosevelt explained, "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does NOT mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country."

The bastard children of Cecil Rhodes may not understand or revere the concepts of Duty, Honor, Country, but there remain those who do. It is among those who love their country so dearly, that you will find those prepared to "mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."