The Truths Remain Self-Evident
As Donald Trump channels his inner George III, a reminder exactly why we became a free country.
Rarely in our 249 years of independence and freedom has the Self-Evident Truths of the Declaration of Independence read so vividly. Mainly because these truths that caused our Founding Fathers to declare independence from the tyranny of the British Crown are creeping back into American 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. 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."
It’s hard to think we are all endowed with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness when you see photos of the President of the United States smiling as he takes a tour of a concentration camp designed specifically to hold people of a certain race who may or may not be guilty of crimes, all while one of Trump’s biggest cheerleaders suggests feeding all 65 million of America’s Hispanics to the Alligators.
"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; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
Donald Trump has openly threatened to arrest and imprison politicians who do not agree with him.
"He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
Trump has openly threatened the conquest of our allies Canada, Greenland, and Panama, regardless of their thoughts on the matter.
"He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
One would argue that both Houses of Congress holding votes all hours of the night to pass Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” by Trump’s artificially imposed deadline would qualify as “unusual” and “uncomfortable.”
"He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
Trump’s obsession with illegal immigration and his advisors’ obsession with racial purity check this box.
"He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
While Trump has not obstructed the establishment of the Judiciary, he has certainly obstructed the Administration of Justice through pardoning criminals and allies, threatening prosecution of elected officials, election officials, and ignoring court orders.
"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
It was called the Department of Government Efficiency, and it was a trainwreck.
"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:
Here is how the lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia described Garcia’s experience in the El Salvador prison Trump is deporting illegal immigrants (and has threatened to send other Americans) to:
Trump is sending people under American jurisdiction to be tortured in El Salvador. subject them to a jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution.
"For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
Trump instituted tariffs without Congressional approval, raising taxes on goods used by each and every American, a modern-day Stamp Act.
"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us,”
Well, only one so far.
“In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."
Whatever issues one may have with Trump (and there are plenty), the one thing that most people can agree on is the incremental, fundamental losses of liberty we have seen in the last six months. In that way, Donald Trump is no better than George III was in 1776.
Have we seen some of this before? Yes, yes we have. Trump’s Florida Concentration Camps are no different than the ones built in the West for Japanese Americans during World War II. Using the levers of government to silence opponents has been done more than once, with the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798 and the Sedition Act of 1918.
Some of this we have never seen before. We have never seen a President pardon insurrectionists who attempted to overthrow the government in his name. We have never seen a President threaten our allies with conquest for no particular reason.
And all the while, the Trump supporters mostly cheer.
I think the tide, however, is beginning to change. Enough people who voted for the Leopards Eating Faces Party are starting to realize the Leopards are about to eat their face.
Americans are also starting to feel that the economy is now Trump’s responsibility, not Biden’s any longer. A key distinction as the effects of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will begin to resonate across the country, with likely disastrous consequences.
Things are still perilous. Liberty remains fragile. As Franklin said, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Trump is stretching our ability to keep a Republic nearly to its breaking point. But today, on America’s birthday, let us remember exactly how we got here, the path that we have taken, and think of ways to restore the promises of liberty our Founding Fathers fought for.