Its time to change the guard, America.

Well, we're here again. Another birthday! America is now 234 years old! That's a LOT of candles! :-)

One of the interesting things about our Republic is its age, actually. I often hear the USA referred to as a "young" country on the world stage. Compared to places like England or any other European country we are young. Compared to someplace like Israel or Iran we are down right neophyte. Those countries are incredibly ancient. I have traveled to Italy and stood in a town hall that was ancient when our Declaration was signed. For that matter, some of the colonies themselves were over 100 years old when the Declaration was signed.

Which is my first point: the USA is fairly young, but our history extends well before that. Politically the roots of our beliefs in Rule of Law and Natural Law extend back to our "mother" country England. We have a long and rich history, much of which pre-dates our Revolution.

Secondly, while our country may be young compared to others our government is not. Our Republic has been operating continuously since 1789. We've peacefully transferred executive authority 45 times, from George Washington to Barack Obama. That 212 year stretch is longer than any other modern government.

Which actually makes the USA one of the oldest countries on earth, not one of the youngest. On the world stage, we are the adults. We are the gray-haired gentlemen, the ones who've been around the block. We've weathered wars, economic hardships and booms, natural disasters. We've done it all. We should be in a place to advise others wisely.

Instead, we're spending like teenagers handed their first credit cards in college. We're blissfully borrowing money from anyone and everyone. We're abdicating our responsibilities to pursue unwise and frivolous ventures. We're ignoring our friends and partying with our enemies. We're turning our backs on who we are and becoming something we used to despise. We're turning our backs on what works and embracing failure.

In times like these, I am reminded of a passage from the Declaration of Independence. Its not the part most people know. Its a little further down, and it should serve as a warning to those in power today:

"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 thro off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security."

Now, I am not advocating armed insurrection. I think that time may come, if we continue on the path we're on today, but we're not anywhere near that point yet. We are, however, at a place where things need to change. Thankfully we have not yet been stripped of our freedom or our right to vote.

November is coming, friends. Its time. We need to change the guard.