George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton were bitter rivals. As men, they often showed their dislike of one another. But as leaders of our nation, they set aside that animosity, because they were united in a higher goal: creating and uniting a “federation of distinct regional and economic interests bound by core principles and liberties upon which a carefully balanced national government could function and thrive.” These men showed greatness.
Today we have the same goals and ideals, but the divisions have been allowed to set up warring camps in Congress. Instead of looking for the best possible compromise to serve the largest number of people and keep our nation’s ideals intact, our leaders are standing their ground, mired in party politics. Anything proposed by one side is an automatic “No!” on the other side.
On this Independence Day I ask, Where is the greatness shown by our founding fathers? How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how do we get back? The people leading us need to take a lesson from those four great men who were able to put aside petty differences for the greater good.