George Washington had all the credentials to be called the Father of his country. He put his neck on the line, he put his fortune on the line, and when the revolution was over and he was victorious, he rejected power. He had no interest in being a king or a dictator.
Talk is cheap and it is easy for me to alert others. But as a former small business owner and a self-appointed historian, I cannot remain silent. I have a concern for the future of our country.
The French had an expression in 1837: “no blesse oblige”; translation: The obligation of honorable generous and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth.
So, what does this have to do with over 700 billionaires in America? This weblog, Return to the Beginning, was set up to help refresh the study of American history.
The force behind the American Revolution was made up of successful merchants and farmers. (George Washington owned 300 slaves and 16,000 acres). Those 55 men that created our U.S. Constitution were all prominent in their own way. What drove them, after beating one of the best military forces in the world, to then give the government in power to the people? Why did they want to create a Republic that disdains individual power as they rejected autocrats, kings and dictators?
These “Founding Fathers” were primarily deists who recognized there may be a just God and felt forced by the judgment of history to protect their family name for the ages. George Washington had all the credentials to be called the Father of his country. He put his neck on the line, he put his fortune on the line, and when it was over and he was victorious, he rejected power. He had no interest in being a king or a dictator. So now this country that he and so many others founded and loved is in crisis, needing those most able financially and intellectually to pay attention to the strain being put on our Constitution and our Flag. In 1775 those colonists of wealth saw what King George III was doing to the population and they also put their necks on the line to do something heroic. The uniqueness of their undertaking was demonstrated by the fact that they were not a “mob” but men of moderation and insight, willing to delve into self-government.
Their fight for freedom eventually produced the U.S. Constitution that is now being tested because there is so much dividing our people. Perhaps no divisions this deep since the American Civil War? What to do? We must pivot off these constant meritless political squabbles and get serious over solving more issues. (We can leave the disrupters and haters behind.)
Lets not allow ideology to overwhelm reason. Lies are submerging truth. Now too many have cornered themselves into believing truth is just another opinion. Especially if it blocks the blind power of an ideological group. We simply have to go back to our beginnings historically and defeat ignorance, lies and yes, stupidity. We can start by adopting a national purpose; “without a vision, the people perish.” Who knows that better than President Joe Biden, who was properly elected and has shown the world his ability to lead and to legislate. Think what he could do with more support—we would all be richer.
What if we had electric power stations for cars laid out on a grid, 120 miles between each? We have replaced the power of coal. Now windmills and solar power are cheaper than coal in the United States. What if we taught more trades and educated the young before they turn to crime? What if we lower the crime rate using fewer prisons and put the savings into paying down our Federal deficit? How about more emphasis on civics to get our children to participate more in self-government? Finally, how about being less concerned about power and money; instead, making us all wealthier by continuing the political success of our Founding Fathers.
Yes, my billionaire American friends. Let us circle the wagons in our hour of need and make our U.S. Constitution last for another 240 years. There is a 5,000-mile-long string of Sargassum weed, heading for our shores. Meanwhile, California drowns and tornadoes, larger than usual, wreak devastation in the south. But most importantly, American children are dying of gunshot wounds, by far more than any other country in the world. We must immediately leave these children a gift of safety in their schools. Now is the time for us all, even billionaires, to come to the aid of our country.
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