Today, we celebrate George Washington's birthday. He was the first elected President of the United States and the General who lead the battle against Brittan so we might be a free nation ruled by self-governance. The idea that a people could rule themselves, President Washington called, "The experiment," because every other nation at that time was ruled by a king, dictator, or ruling class of people.
In President Washington's farewell address, he advised us to challenge those in leadership who might use their power to rule over the people instead of ruling on behalf of the people, "Towards the preservation of your government, and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts." In other words, we are to question the motivations of our elected officials and are to oppose those things that would threaten our liberties.
In this video, Senator Tim Kaine, Virginia Senator speaks about the annual reading of George Washington's Farewell Address by the Senate. He shares that the document is more than a goodbye letter to Americans, but is filled with warnings against those who would undermine the efforts that led to our independence. America was in its infancy and he desired to see it become the great nation of his dreams. I am grateful for the blessings that come with being an American and would not want to live anywhere else. I pray we can find a way to unite as one nation, under God, with Liberty and Justice, for all.
"Liberty itself will find in such a government,
with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian."
George Washington