clipped from: www.americanthinker.com   
The men who wrote and signed the Declaration are all dead, long, long, dead -- they never expected otherwise.  If we met their ghosts today, they would not ask about our technological marvels or our global economy or our medical breakthroughs or space travel.  If we told them about our partisan debates or the new King in Washington, they might cringe like a father over an addled child. 

they might ask us this:  "We did not mean to confuse you.  That is why the words we chose were so clear.  You are free creatures of God.  Government is your creature, your chattel, your tool -- nothing more.  We studied history long before we wrote our brief statement of liberty.  You own government or rather the spirit of free men owns government.   You fret about ‘stuff.' Why?  We are all dead now, as we knew we would be.  But we chose to die free, following our consciences - that is the only real choice in life.  What confused you?"   The principle of liberty is easy.  All it requires is courage and honor.