This month, our nation again celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the era we're living, the Fourth of July is more about gathering with family and friends to eat ice cream and watch fireworks than pausing to reflect on the significance of that great document.

Anyone who took a junior high history class or studied to become a U.S. citizen will recall the first seven words: "When in the course of human events," and that the second paragraph contains the oft quoted phrase about holding "truths to be self evident" and "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." However, the most powerful statement to flow from Thomas Jefferson's genius may be the last. It's way down there where most of us haven't journeyed to read in years: "...we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

Talk about walking the plank, poking the sleeping bear, risking everything. This wasn't a group of rich guys getting together to drink Samuel Adams' original lager and yell out the windows, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore." These were family men putting all they had at risk for a future free from "a long train of abuses and usurpations." Call them political entrepreneurs.

Jefferson, in fact, originated the ideal of ongoing adaptation of laws—a living, breathing plan—with subsequent generations remaking their constitutions to ensure self-government always rules.

And Here We Are Today

The 232nd year since John Hancock and 55 brave men affixed their names to history is turning out to be one of uncertainty and disruption. Soaring energy prices, sky-rocketing food costs, and an overall economic malaise rule the headlines. Printers show concern about stagnant or declining sales, even before the annual July slowdown impacts their financial statements. The trickle down effect of recession talk affects everyone—from your neighborhood pizzeria, to global manufacturers, to the kid down the street who mowed your lawn until you decided to save $30 each week and do it yourself this summer. You see it every day when long time, loyal clients say, "We're going to hold off on that for awhile."

For many, challenging times like these are enough to accept the passing of what use to be a good life. That's certainly understandable. You've been beating your head against different walls for years, dealing with the continual reinvestment required to stay ahead of the technology curve in the printing industry, and watching margins decline and business walk across town or to the Internet for a few dollars less. "No one seems to care about how well we take care of them anymore," is an oft heard cry.

Oh for yesteryear...when July 4th meant baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and decent pay.

(It would be easy for me right here to use the technique so many writers turn to: point fingers. However, I'm not about blame, so I won't be placing fault at the hands of the President, Congress, the Supreme Court, Barack, Hillary, McCain, the Federal Reserve, Big Oil, Hollywood, the bleeding-heart Left, the religious Right, the non-committal Middle, Rush Limbaugh, Al Franken, the Pope, the liberal media, the conservative bloggers, extravagant CEOs, outsourcing, illegal immigrants, gay marriage, OPEC, China, Iraq, or Mrs. O'Leary's cow.)

The Next Greatest Generation

The fact is Thomas Jefferson and his co-signers, George Washington and his soldiers, and the visionaries and their citizens who a decade later adopted the greatest Constitution in the history of the world would be disappointed in you and me. Why? Somewhere along the line we—and I'm speaking directly to my fellow Baby Boomers—got fat and happy and crawled into a cocoon of comfort.