Our independence

Back in 1776, the intention of those who led and fought in the revolution was fairly straightforward. They wanted freedom for the colonies and to be rid of the burden of foreign potentates and princes, first among them a king named George.
But George Washington and his fellows in what would be the first generation of independent American leaders had not quite worked out the precise form of the new country’s independence, its exact manner of governance. This would only emerge over time.
But when you think of it, those founding fathers, and mothers, of the new nation seemingly had the time to dwell on a long term national plan.
These days, the health, vitality and indeed the very independence of a country, the United States included, seems to fluctuate with the passage of minutes and even seconds.
Technology allows for the imposition of fundamental change in very short order and all too often “we the people” feel that we have little or no say or control.
We are independent, yes, but who do we owe? We are independent, yes, but who are we ultimately dependent upon for our national prosperity, or even our very survival as a truly sovereign nation?
We need to consider such matters. Given the state of our world, and the pace of change in it, we can no longer take even the most familiar words and concepts for granted, even that most cherished one we call independence.