Happy Independence Day!

Wait, you may say, Independence Day isn’t until July 4th.

If you think that’s true, think again. For while the Continental Congress adopted our Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, it was on July 2 that that body officially declared independence from Great Britain by voting in favor of the Lee Resolution.

Named for its author, Virginia Delegate Richard Henry Lee, the Lee Resolution stated:

Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

Lee originally presented his resolution to Congress on June 7, and July 1 was chosen as the date for consideration of the resolution. In the meantime, however, a committee was appointed to draft a more formal declaration of independence. Interestingly, Lee was not appointed to the committee, but the reason was hardly a difference of opinion or viewpoint. Rather, on the day Lee presented his original resolution, he received word of illness among his family members. So, he immediately took leave of Philadelphia and set out for his home in Virginia.

With Lee gone, the men chosen to craft the declaration of independence were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson.

It was this formal Declaration of Independence that Congress adopted on July 4, 1776, two days after actually declaring independence. Not surprisingly, the wording of second Declaration mirrored that of the first (and, truth be told, also echoed the words and ideas of thinkers past, including John Locke, Scottish Reformer John Knox, and Samuel Rutherford, also of Scotland.)

Here, in its entirety, is the text of our Declaration of Independence, along with a list of the signers.

Will it take a few minutes to read? Yes.

But isn’t a few minutes worth devoting in return for the blood and sacrifice of those who made it possible?

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

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.

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.

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.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

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.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass [sic] our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

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:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

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.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish [sic] brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:

Column 1
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton

Column 2
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton

Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock

Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton

Column 4
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross 

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean

Column 5
New York: 
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark

Column 6
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple

Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott

New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton

I don’t just mean the NJ GOP, I mean the GOP as in all over the Country. How else can one explain the behavior and the things they do that are at times mind boggling, while other times borders on the unexplainable.

I would usually say here, “case in point”, but there are hundreds of “case in points” to choose from with this Party. But there are some that stick out more then others, and I am not talking about the lack of morality for the morality preaching skirt chasing marriage cheaters.

I am talking about lack of integrity and staying true to the Conservative platform, instead of lining behind someone because they can self-fund and have an (R) next to their name, regardless of their positions, ummm didn’t Arlen Specter have an (R) next to his name?

Let me focus my commentary on the latest New Jersey “case in point” that is influenced by National GOP interference.

We are all too painfully aware of the last Friday’s House vote that passed Cap & Trade, and the 8 GOP members, who thanks to their vote, helped to pass it.

Outrage around the Country has never been stronger on any issue since the Shamnesty Bill of 2 years ago.

Eric Cantor, the Conservative Congressman from Virginia, who also doubles as the House WHIP for the GOP, is doing a fundraiser for Leonard Lance on July 20th!!

What???

Cantor as WHIP, who’s job it is to bring the entire caucus to the side of the House GOP Leadership, is rewarding one of the Republicans who betrayed the Party, screwed the Country and sided with Pelosi, Gore, Soros, et al!!

Yes, this vote took place before Cantor committed to do the fundraiser, but how about canceling?

How about making those who voted YES for this Bill accountable for their vote, instead of rewarding them with FUNDRAISING appearances, which in turn will help keep them in office to continue to vote for Democrat agenda items!

When will the GOP madness ever end???

This is a must read article and helps point out the huge divide between the moderate left leaning members of the Republican Party vs. the more Conservative practical members:

There something wrong, very wrong, when Sarah Palin, a bright, shining light for conservatives remains the prime target of the existing Washington machine, while Mark Sanford and other hypocritical liars are serenaded as getting a raw deal by the very public daughter of a defacto leader of the party.

For some reason, Meghan McCain, writing in The Daily Beast, seems to think adulterous politicians, like South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, should be forgiven and can still do a darn good job representing their constituents. Why? Because lying, cheating and betraying the ones closest to you should not at all be held against you nor should it make people presume you might betray complete strangers known as “constituents.” While you use tax payer money to indulge in your cheating. And while it exposes you to blackmail and other sundry stuff. Not at all. No Sirree. Because, you see, marriage can be “complicated.” Gee, I wonder where she gets these ideas?

Now to John McCain’s other people who just can’t seem to stop maligning Sarah Palin. A woman who was chosen by them, a woman who single-handedly made the John McCain campaign relevant and viable. And what do they do in return? Continue their own backstabbing jihad. Why? Maybe because she doesn’t fit the scenario noted above by Meghan “Deep Thoughts” McCain? The more likely scenario, of course, is those in charge of the Worst Campaign in History want someone else to blame.

I don’t know why at least two McCains (and various hanger-on-ers) seem to be deeply irritated by a politician/wife/mother who has managed to do a great job for her state, represent the Reagan legacy and Christian values without being a lying, cheating, adulterous hypocrite. In today’s McCain/Bush/Romney/Cantor/Steele-led GOP, that is a dangerous threat and one to be smeared and eliminated. In my world that’s something to laud. We know there are good, honest people out there ready to serve this nation and treat America to the same fidelity and commitment they honor in their relationship. This nation deserves that respect and we demand nothing less.

This tells you a few things about self-styled GOP “leaders” themselves and the fact that they seem more than comfortable turning the Reagan GOP (Grand old Party) into the Ensign/Sanford GOP (Grand Old Partaaaay!). Independent Conservatives know there are two revolutions needed, one to take back the GOP from limp, visionless faux “conservatives,” and then on to Congress stopping Obama’s destructive and reckless agenda in its tracks.

Tammy is right on the money with her comments and thoughts about this issue. I urge everyone to read the entire article here.

We have been on top of the anti-Palin bashers within the McCain campaign for quite some time now, with posts here, here & here, regarding the backstabbing fingerpointing of the McCain “strategists”, who need to blame someone for their own failings, less they lose future clients.

In response to the votes of Congressman Chris Smith, (NJ-4), Frank LoBiondo, (NJ-2) and Leonard Lance, (NJ-7), who voted in favor of HR 2454, the “Cap & Trade” Global Warming Bill, some of the leading Conservative and Libertarian organizations in New Jersey have joined together to release a press statement condemning their actions.

Conservatives with Attitude!, Campaign for Liberty, the New Jersey Conservative GOP, Republicans for Conservative Leadership & the Woodbridge Conservative GOP have all expressed their extreme disappointment in the votes of the 3 New Jersey Republican Congressmen.

Michael Illions & Rich Ross of Conservatives with Attitude! said after the vote, “Some of these Republicans don’t even pretend to be Republican anymore, they are now outwardly supporting the Liberal agenda of the Democrats. This legislation will literally choke the life out of businesses and bring the economy to it’s knees, while adding an additional tax burden to the American citizen.”

Paul Danielczyk, representing the New Jersey Conservative GOP, agrees. “Lance, Smith and LoBiondo have betrayed the public trust. They voted for and were key in passing the largest tax hike in the history of our great nation! The hard working decent taxpayer is already taxed beyond their means, and this Tax & Trade/Global Warming bill, will dig deeper into their pockets! My Congressman Leonard Lance, has sided with Pelosi, Barney Frank and Harry Reid. Lance voted for this bill which supports Junk Science, and has brought upon us the fraud of so-called Global Warming! He’s inline with that hypocrite scam artist Al Gore! You’d think that Linda Stender won the Congressional seat in the 7th district!. A change of party card should be delivered to these three disgraced Republicans, and true conservative Republicans must come forth next year and challenge them in their Republican Primary,” Danielczyk concluded.

The Campaign for Liberty organization, represented by Dan Krause, Rob & Gloria Leustek added that “this bill, and those representatives who voted for it, has placed a tax on every aspect of human life. The food we eat, the clothes we wear and every other aspect of our lives will now be taxed. The tragedy is the harm this will do to the poor and the middle class; those who can least afford a higher cost of life or a reduced level of industry.”

Don Nelsen of the Woodbridge Conservative GOP, who is represented in Congress by Leonard Lance was equally angry at the outcome of this vote “It was only a matter of time until Lance would expose his Democrat-Lite stances. Lance’s vote for Cap and Trade clearly shows even his self proclaimed ‘Fiscal Conservatism’ takes a back seat to his latent moderate tendencies. The RINO leadership in the 7th Congressional District was allegedly duped into backing him, but at least the Conservative base saw through his leftist agenda and got it right. We are going to mount a primary challenge in 2010 against Lance, and I’ve gone so far as to contact the Democrats and ask they take ‘Lenny the Leftist’ back to their party where he belongs.”

John Di Marco, the Somerset County Chairman of the Republicans for Conservative Leadership, summed it up by stating that “Repeatedly, these three Congressmen have voted against core Republican principles with this vote being especially egregious. In too many incidents, they turned their backs on their fellow Republicans and joined hands with the democrats to further the liberal agenda. It is time for New Jersey Republicans to turn our backs on them. As Ronald Reagan said, “A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs…And if there are those who cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way.”

All organizations participating in this press release strongly condemn the yes votes by Leonard Lance, Frank LoBiondo and Chris Smith and will work to recruit and support primary challengers against them in 2010.

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Did you get your EZ-Pass from a New Jersey agency? Well, if you did you may have to pay some 30% extra in tolls soon - unless Assembly Republicans successfully fight back against this extremely unfair policy handed down by the MTA. 

REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ASK NEW YORK TO

RESCIND DISCRIMINATORY TOLL HIKE ON NEW JERSEY

 NEW YORK METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY SET TO

DISCONTINUE E-ZPASS DISCOUNTS FOR NEW JERSEY DRIVERS

             Five Assembly Republicans sent a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, asking the New York agency to rescind a policy that will discriminate against New Jersey motorists. 

            Beginning July 12, E-ZPass users who did not purchase accounts through New York agencies will be charged the same rate as cash-paying customers. That means New Jersey E-ZPass users will face a 30 percent toll hike this month while those with New York accounts will have a 10 percent increase. 

            “Although anyone may register for E-ZPass in New York , this decision discriminates against the multitude of New Jersey residents who already have registered for accounts in their home state,” the letter states. 

            A copy of the letter – signed by several Republican northern New Jersey Assemblymen including Assembly Transportation committee member Scott T. Rumana, Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, Assemblyman Jay Webber, Assemblyman John Rooney and Assemblyman David C. Russo - is attached.

Meanwhile, where is our Dear Governor on this issue? Is he standing up for New Jersey drivers, particularly those who have to commute into New York for their livelihood? As usual, he’s nowhere to be found.

Democrat Congressman Henry Waxman, who has been a leading legislator on both C(r)ap & Trade, as well as healthcare legislation, has apparently been hospitalized.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful House committee chairman with a central role in President Barack Obama’s global warming and health care legislation has been hospitalized.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., was not feeling well Tuesday and was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for “routine testing,” spokeswoman Karen Lightfoot said Wednesday.

She said that Waxman, 69, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is “feeling much better now.” She said his office had no further details to release.

Waxman just finished steering the climate change legislation through a close House vote and has been gearing up to tackle health care later this summer.

Now, I find this very upsetting. After all, if Congressman Waxman wants a single-payer, socialistic healthcare system, why didn’t he give it a try now? I say he shouldn’t have received any medical attention today. He should have waited at least 3 months, if not longer, to even get to see a doctor.

As a matter of fact, I know a way to get me to support socialized healthcare. I say we force every elected official and government worker to give up their current plan and make them live under the new government plan. Somehow, I doubt that any of them will actually want to live under the system they are advocating for.

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If you’re looking to commemorate the Fourth of July in a more meaningful way than a pool party or barbecue, Mayor Martin Marks and William Vastine may have just the right idea. Going all the way back to our “roots”, the two candidates for Assembly in Legislative District 22 are hosting a momentous celebration of the Fourth with an inaugural community reading of the Declaration of Independence.

What better way to recognize Independence Day than by being reminded of a piece of history that formed the foundation of what makes America so great, even over 200 years later. If you live anywhere near Scotch Plains, come out and spend the afternoon with some other patriots for a picnic in the park and join in a reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Conservatives with Attitude!’s Michael Illions has been invited as a special guest reader of the Constitution.

Event details:

Date: Saturday, July 4, 2009
Time: 1 PM to 4 PM
Location: Brookside Park
Hetfield Avenue
Scotch Plains, NJ
Cost: $40 per person, $20 per child (under 16)

To reserve your ticket today, click on the ad at the top of our website, or contact Anthony Attanasio at (908) 930-3068

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Immediately following the last speaker at the August 1st Conservative Leadership Breakfast in North Brunswick at the Omega Diner, I will be a making an official announcement regarding my plans for the 2010 election season.

The whispers, rumors and speculation will be answered @ 12:00pm on Saturday, August 1st. My announcement will affect the Middlesex County Republican Party, it’s County Committee members, Republican voters and elected officials, not to mention the NJ GOP establishment across all 21 Counties.

After many long discussions and prioritizing what needs fixing the most, I have decided that my decision and this path I have chosen is best suited for me to showcase my talents, skill sets, character, personality and the most important thing of all; what was best for the Republican Party and the Conservative movement.

Not withstanding an official invitation that will be received, I invite all 25 Township Chairs of the Middlesex County GOP to join me @ 12:00pm on August 1st.

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If there’s an issue outside of taxes in New Jersey right now that could swing voters to the Republican Party, I think it could be school choice. With our state’s Abbott schools widely known as a tragic failure and having nothing to show for the billions of taxpayer dollars that the Democrats spent on our behalf, there’s no denying that the notion of “school choice” is looking better and better every day. After all, what logical argument can stand against giving parents the right and the opportunity to decide where their kids are educated?

New Jersey residents now have a chance to come together and display their support for school choice in an event this Thursday that will transcend party lines. On Thursday, July 2, people from all over the state will gather at the steps of the Essex County Courthouse to rally in favor of “Parental Choice in Education.” Sponsored by leaders representing the Coalition for Liberty, the Urban Women’s Coalition, WeCare Partnership, School Choice Voter, and Parents for Free Choice Education, the rally will unite voters from all backgrounds over this single issue that is some are now calling the “civil rights issue of our time.”

If you have the chance, come out and show your support for this worthy cause. Feel free to contact me with questions at sharon.soon@gopusanj.com. You can also contact Yvonne Moore at 973-289-3510 or mooreinnewark@optonline.net.

Event Details:

What: Rally for Parental Choice in Education
Where: Essex County Courthouse
50 West Market Street
Newark, NJ 07102
When: 12:00 AM (noon) to 2:00 PM

Thanks for Barry Funt for organizing the event.

I hope to see you there!

The Minnesota Supreme Court has ordered that Democrat Al Franken be certified as the winner of the state’s long-running Senate race, the AP is reporting.

The high court rejected a legal challenge from Republican Norm Coleman, whose options for regaining the Senate seat are dwindling.

Justices said Franken is entitled to the election certificate he needs to assume office.  With Franken and the usual backing of two independents, Democrats will have a big enough majority to overcome Republican filibuster.

Coleman hasn’t rule out seeking federal court intervention.

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