Happy Birthday, America

Happy 235th birthday to this great country and to this grand experiment of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. What was once sneered at by prince and pauper alike is now recognized almost universally as the preferred way of operating a nation and making public decisions. Here's to you, America. I close with a hat tip to our Founding Fathers, a salute to our men and women in uniform, and an exhortation to my fellow Americans of all ages, skin colors, religious beliefs, and walks of life to uphold the best of our nation's values and to be ever thankful for freedom and tolerance and prosperity.