Constitutional Grievances Then and Now

On May 23, 2024, Liberty Toastmasters members gathered for their annual table topics day to examine the Declaration of Independence’s 27 grievances against King George III. From excessive taxation to standing armies, open borders to administrative overreach, the parallels to contemporary American politics proved both illuminating and unsettling. In the second hour, author Jeffrey Paul presented his case for why America faces an existential choice between founding principles and authoritarian progressivism. The Declaration’s Grievances Mirror Modern America Start listening at 12:00 – Hour 1 Bill Vetter opened the discussion by cataloging the Crown’s offenses against the colonies: dissolved courts, standing armies, officers sent to harass the populace and consume their resources. He posed a pointed question about the modern administrative state, with its thousands of officials acting simultaneously as legislators, judges, and enforcers, all without constitutional separation of powers. The discussion touched on the Federal Reserve’s inflation as a hidden tax and the proxy wars conducted without congressional declarations. “I have to ask whether and to what extent the current regime in our country is engaged in more subtle but effectively the same injuries and usurpations.” Bill Vetter, Liberty Toastmasters South War Grievances and Federal Overreach Start listening at 15:00 – Hour 1 Marshall Dawson, a candidate for Congress in Colorado’s Second District, examined grievances 23 through 27, the war grievances. Jefferson wrote of plundered seas, ravaged coasts, burned towns, and destroyed lives. Dawson traced the parallels to present-day lawlessness: an open southern border with military-age males from hostile nations, federal agents present at January 6th operations, and billions sent overseas to fund proxy conflicts without diplomatic alternatives. He cautioned that while the Declaration provides a moral basis for throwing off abusive government, the better path remains changing it from within through active civic engagement. “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. The Declaration of Independence is a statement of morality put forth as a basis of why colonists could no longer abide an abusive government.” Marshall Dawson, Congressional Candidate CD2 Immigration and Natural Rights Start listening at 18:00 – Hour 1 Bennett Rutledge, running for Colorado Senate District 16, offered a counterpoint by examining the grievance about obstructing naturalization of foreigners. He noted that legal immigrants who complete the citizenship process often demonstrate superior knowledge of founding documents compared to native-born Americans. The discussion acknowledged the tension between enforcing immigration law and honoring the tradition of welcoming those who seek to become Americans. “These are probably the best educated citizens in terms of knowledge of the Declaration and the Constitution that we’ve got.” Bennett Rutledge, SD16 Candidate The Foundation of Self-Governance Start listening at 21:00 – Hour 1 Greg Morrissey, himself an immigrant who chose America, emphasized that the Declaration must be mandatory reading before high school graduation. Understanding how the nation achieved i...