In the not too distant past, my Uncle Sam was the envy of all. Once upon a time, my Uncle Sam was once considered to be the most benevolent, the strongest, the most virtuous and the wealthiest figure in the neighborhood. His life was once the poster child for self-determination and ingenuity. The work ethic and pursuit of excellence exemplified by Uncle Sam inspired many of his flock to greatness.

On July 4th , 233 years ago, Uncle Sam was born and grew to near mythical status, due in large part to the fact that he enjoyed the tutelage of 56 benevolent and very wise fathers. All fifty six of Uncle Sam’s fathers signed their names to his birth certificate, thus pledging "to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" in the name of protecting and guiding dear Uncle Sam on a path to unparalleled greatness.

Many around the world have risked life and limb to come to Uncle Sam’s home to share in the virtues and riches that he had so graciously bestowed upon the masses who dared to live his dream. The keys to Uncle Sam’s success were really quite simple. He went for long daily walks to preserve his constitution. Never a borrower or lender did he become. He believed for the longest period of time that a “Penny saved is a penny earned.” For the most part, Uncle Sam avoided draining and expensive quarrels with his neighbors. He was vigilant in protecting his safety as exemplified by the fact that he never opened the door to unannounced strangers. He once had a purpose and a vision for his life, while at the same time, with a few pitfalls, he attempted to respect the sovereignty of others while remaining fiercely independent. Many felt that my favorite Uncle Sam might seemingly live forever as he continued to take great pride in taking good care of himself.

Alas, my dear Uncle Sam has fallen ill, very seriously ill. The roof of his house has become laden with snow. The tiles of his roof are pealing back and thereby revealing the sun with all of its blinding glare. The foundation of Uncle Sam’s house has grown weak and is seemingly not capable of supporting its own weight. Uncle Sam’s once mighty riches have evaporated as he has engaged in numerous, expensive and avoidable conflicts with his neighbors. In a few short years, he has gone from being the most respected figure in the neighborhood, to the most despised. His once generous nature has been replaced by an insatiable spirit of avarice, which has served to weaken his overall constitution and has tremendously dampened his resolve to muster the will to regain his good health. The once strong doors, which formerly protected Uncle Sam’s house, remain permanently flung open which has allowed many of his poorer neighbors and former business associates the opportunity to ransack the house of its once proud riches. Today, Uncle Sam is on life support and has slipped into a coma while all that he has built continues to crumble.

Can Uncle Sam be saved from what seems to be his inevitable fate? The better question may be, can Uncle Sam return to the healthy habits that once made him the envy of all who knew him? Or, is it too late? Even if Uncle Sam were to regain a measure of his health, there are the multitudes of creditors that he has no chance of repaying. Indeed, if he cannot pay his bills, will his present caretakers simply pull the plug on his life support? Has our dearest Uncle Sam reached the tipping point of his demise while all who have depended on him race for the exits of the house while desperately trying to grab all that they can carry?

With every ending comes a new beginning. While there are some who hopelessly mourn for the condition of Uncle Sam, we see a number of individuals who are not overwhelmed by what Uncle Sam became, but are instead devoted to the once noble ideals exemplified by my once great uncle. Whether this resurgence of freedom comes from a country doctor in Texas or a brave veteran who is throwing his hat into the political ring of fire, there many who are not wasting their time trying to revive my soon-to-be-late uncle. Rather, they are breathing life into a new REVOLUTION similar to what my uncle and his 56 fathers were able to accomplish 233 years ago.

While we understandably grieve for Uncle Sam, we can celebrate the rising of the Phoenix in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this weekend, if we only can make ourselves see the tremendous opportunity that is just waiting for the masses to grab a hold of. There is hope, for when we change the way we look at things, the things that we look at change.

God bless America and those who give so much to the cause of freedom. Happy Independence Day!