How To Live Up To The Declaration Of Independence

In this episode of What’s Ahead, I point out why the two closely related ideas that begin The Declaration of Independence were the foundation of what made the United States the greatest nation ever and to this day make the country a haven and magnet for all who, in Lincoln’s words, want to improve their lot in life. One is the concept that we are all created equal; that is, we all have the “unalienable” rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The other is that government is created to protect these and other fundamental rights. In other words, government serves the people, not the other way around—a truly radically different concept than the age-old custom of “subjects” being ruled by tyrants and monarchs.