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The Idea That Became America

Our American Republic and Concept of Democracy wasn't invented by a single person. Rather, it was synthesized by our Founding Fathers who combined ancient historical models, European Enlightenment philosophy, and over a century of colonial self-rule.

The Framers heavily drew their concepts of liberty and governance from 17th and 18th-century European thinkers like...

John Locke who popularized the concept of "natural rights" such as life, liberty, and property as well as the "social contract," arguing that a government’s legitimacy comes entirely from the consent of the governed.

Baron de Montesquieu conceived the separation of powers. The Founders used his blueprint to divide the U.S. government into three distinct branches being legislative, executive, and judicial to prevent tyranny.

The Founders were classical scholars who deeply studied history to determine what worked and what failed from their studies of...

Ancient Greece that created the original concept of direct democracy, proving that citizens could successfully vote on their own laws.

Ancient Rome provided the model for a representative republic, where citizens elect leaders to make laws on their behalf. The Founders preferred this over direct democracy, which they feared could devolve into "mob rule".

During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, several key figures actively sculpted these ideas into the framework of the United States, including..

James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution," who engineered the system of checks and balances to keep any single branch of government from becoming too powerful.

Thomas Jefferson who authored the Declaration of Independence, cemented the democratic ideal that "all men are created equal" into the American ethos

James Wilson, an overlooked but crucial architect, championed the concept of "popular sovereignty," which is the idea that the supreme power of the government rests entirely with the citizens. He was the mastermind who first drafted the phrase "We the People".

At the time, these concepts were revolutionary, untried, and unproven. Even suggesting them was a crime punishable by death in many countries.

When I think of our Founding Fathers, I consider the risks they took to form "a more perfect union." Benjamin Franklin, during the signing of our Declaration of Independence, famously quipped: "We must, indeed, all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."

These were wealthy men of means, putting everything on the line for an idea. I wonder how many of us, would take those same risks.

And it worked.

The American Republic has stood the test of time. Over 100 other democracies across the globe have failed in the past 250 years.

At least 3 out of every 4 democratic breakdowns during the Cold War occurred at the hands of the military. Democracies in Argentina (1976), Brazil (1964), the Dominican Republic (1963), Nigeria (1966), and Uruguay (1973) all collapsed into military rule.

Many recent democracies have collapsed at the ballot box when elected officials dismantled their systems of checks and balances. Democracies in Turkey (beginning with backsliding in 2013) and Venezuela (during the late 1990s and early 2000s) eroded to the point of becoming pure autocracies.

Over the last two decades, data indicates that autocracies outnumber democracies. Nearly 72% of the global population lives in a non-democratic system.

72% of the world's population is a staggering number.

Let me leave you with this...

This Saturday we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country's founding. And how will you celebrate?

Will you have a few people over, put some steaks on the grill, and watch a fireworks display? Sure that'd be nice, but I have a different idea.

How about doing something that promotes and strengthens our Republic?

Democratic Republics are fragile. Every day we read or witness attacks on our democracy from the Left or the Right.

Socialism is making real gains in America. We need look no further than New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago to see this frightening reality.

Meanwhile the Religious Right is trying to legislate many parts of the Bible as the Law of the Land. This would create America's own version of Sharia law, eliminating the separation of Church and State.

But as Entrepreneurs we can do something about this.

We're the leaders of our companies and our communities. People may not always listen to us, but they do watch and learn from us.

Lead by example. Do the right thing. Be fair, honest, and reasonable in your dealings with others. Treat everyone around you the way you would want to be treated.

Celebrate the 4th of July by being a Good American.

And don't just do it this Saturday. Do it every day for the rest of your life.

There isn't a day that goes by when I don't fly our flag proudly in front of my home. Every day, without fail, I stand in front of that flag, put my feet together, my shoulders back, and my head up to recite our Pledge of Allegiance.

Every day. Without fail.

You can say what you want about this country. But where else would it be possible for a kid like me who grew up in a $200 month apartment down in Uptown grow up to be the multi-millionaire I am today? Where else would that be possible?

I'm a proud American living the American Dream.

Take a moment and be proud of the country you live in. And spend every day of your life being a Good American.

May God bless you, your families, your businesses, and these fantastic United States of America. Be the American our Founding Fathers would want you to be.

Be a Great, American Entrepreneur.

We're all going to get through this. Let's get through it together...

Accounting Solutions Ltd. stands ready to complete our mission and purpose of protecting you, your family, and your business. Whether you need Payroll Services, Accounting and Tax Work, Tax Planning, or Tax Representation, you have but to ask. I'm here and I remain,

Sincerely yours,

Chris Amundson
President
Accounting Solutions Ltd.
773-267-7500
888-310-0300

www.AccountingSolutionsLtd.com

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