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There isn’t much government does well. It wants to take over the entire health care industry and it can’t even deliver Swine Flu vaccine. The one thing government does well, because it is constitutionally charged with doing so, is protecting us with a well-armed military. But even the military has its shortcomings when venturing out of its core function.

Take the example of investigator Gary Zaetz and Arizona adventurer, Clayton Kuhles. Mr. Kuhles spends months of his own time and thousands of his own dollars each year searching for the remains of missing American service men. He hires Zaetz to do much of the detail work. Recently, Zaetz found the plane and remains of a World War II plane and crew missing for 66 years, despite the U.S. Army’s inability to do so through that entire period (see Steve Friess of AOL’s The Sphere).

This is not a slap at the military’s recovery operations. It does the best it can with thousands of missing over decades of time spanning the entire world. (This plane was found in India.) But, it cannot be ignored that a single (and very patriotic and caring) man, who carries out his own searches, has had great successes. If someone like this can replicate what government is good at, why, then, shouldn’t private entities be allowed to do yet more where government monopolies continue to fail its citizens?

Today is the day that John Adams wrote would be our national day. For good reason. Today was the day in 1776 that the Continental Congress passed a certain Virginian’s resolution declaring independence from Great Britain.

Not Thomas Jefferson. Richard Henry Lee. This resolution broke the bonds with the mother country. It was incorporated into the document that stated the reasons for our revolutionary break and our principles upon which the new country would stand — the Declaration of Independence.

The Lee Resolution said:

That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent states; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

The Declaration, including this phrase, was adopted later, and not made official until signed by Congress’ president, John Hancock, on July 4. Many of the Signers did not affix their names until August, and others still later.

Today, as well as the 4th, is a time for reflection on this country — its past and the blood spilled and toil given to create and preserve it — and prayer in thanksgiving for the greatness that it has become and for those who have guaranteed it through their sacrifice, as well as for its future. It’s a time to think about the meaning of our country’s founding and its founding principles. For us Virginians, it’s also a time of pride and reflection on our Commonwealth’s great contributions to the creation of this blessed country and all those since — and that continue today — that have so enriched America. 

On behalf of The Family Foundation of Virginia, we wish everyone a safe, fun and patriotic Independence Day Weekend.