Lessons for Tomorrow from Yesterday’s Debates

It was actually July 2nd that the representatives of the 2nd Continental Congress voted for Independence. July 4th was the day they adopted the Declaration of Independence. They spent two days working out the details of what would become a founding document for a new nation. It shouldn’t be a surprise that we continue to debate, modify, change, and revise laws, codes, and resolutions at every level of government. For some, that is too slow; others see it as too fast. For some, it is too fluid while for others it may be too rigid. The independence we celebrate is limited government trying to find optimal solutions for challenges that simply won’t please everyone. Our governing ideals rely heavily on imperfect people trying to find the best possible compromise.

Recall that early disgruntled colonists were upset at the high cost of what today would be very minuscule taxes. Today we seem to have a complete paradox between citizens being anchored in a distaste for taxes, and some level of entitlement to the extensive services we expect our government to provide. How would these inspired minds look at us 247 years later?

Those taxes always seem to be offensive when it provides something one thinks is optional but are the only means to provide things we could never provide individually. Our collective necessities are only affordable when common taxes share the cost of infrastructure and other shared services. Imagine the crazy cost of every home supplying its own water line from a reservoir or its own sewer treatment facility. Even without the controversy that we need fresh water in our homes, we may still debate how we come to a solution. Similar debates have occurred at every level of government since we argued over the inclusion or exclusion of single words in the Declaration of Independence we celebrate. In college, I studied deep into the philosophies of some of these icons of our country’s independence. I continue to marvel how men of such different opinions formed such deep friendships and held each other in such high regard, even during fierce debates with fiercer counterpoints. Adams and Jefferson were the 2nd and 3rd Presidents of this Nation, respectively, and were fundamentally polar opposites on many governing ideologies. When they agreed on a desired result, they almost assuredly disagreed on the means to reach it. They continued to write to each other, maintaining their close friendship and debates out of the office until they passed mere hours apart on July 4th, 1826.

As we celebrate this season, keep in mind there have always been a variety of ideas for what creates the best place to live freely. There are even more thoughts on how we could best arrive at the same ideals. My challenge for you is to remember that it is less the result that divides us, but more the means to attain those results. We are governing into the future, and we need to recall the old words of Benjamin Franklin, “Look before, or you’ll find yourself behind.” That focus ahead served them well in 1776 and will continue to serve us now. Find harmony of goal, even if you debate the path.

Mayor Dave Maughan

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