I want to wish everyone a fantastic July 4th with family and friends!! This is yet another special day when I love to take some time and reflect.

I feel truly blessed to be an American and live in the United States of America. Yes, we have many issues and challenges as a country (some to be mentioned below), but it is important to reflect on what July 4th represents and what we should never forget.

It was 240 years ago that we declared our independence from Britain and set in motion what has become the longest continuous modern democracy. It is easy to forget the miracle (and I really do mean miracle) of having an amazing collection of values-based leaders present at one time: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, Madison, Monroe — just to name a few! The country these leaders had the courage, wisdom, and foresight to create is truly remarkable.

The idea that “all men are created equal” set an important example for the rest of the world. Another example of their wisdom is the amazing governance structure they put in place with three branches to ensure an important balance of powers between the President, Congress and the Supreme Court.

It is critically important that we never forget what these men worked so hard to put in place; let’s not forget what made us the envy of the world.

With that said, I am concerned about a lot of the current political dialogue in our country:

  • For a country created by immigrants to question whether immigration is good for America is remarkable.
  • For a country founded upon the freedom of religion to question whether some religions are “more acceptable” than others is UNacceptable.
  • For a country built on the preponderance of a strong financial foundation to think it is “acceptable” to be trillions of dollars in debt shows a ridiculous lack of economic discipline.

Okay, so why do I remain an optimist? I believe there are many Americans who understand how blessed we are and what makes America a special country. We realize that while a capitalistic free market economy has a lot of advantages, it does require those of us who are more fortunate to openly care for those less fortunate.

By taking the time to truly understand the implications of various political views, we should vote in a way consistent with the ideals laid out in 1776.

Have a wonderful 4th and do take some time to reflect on what the day truly represents.

I always appreciate your comments and perspectives!