As we celebrate this month—and all year!—the 250th birthday of our republic, it is impossible not to reflect on how the tools that our Founding Fathers created made it happen.
One of our most underappreciated Founding Fathers is Samuel Adams. A brewer by profession, his true passion was for the independence of America.
He recognized very early the need for Americans to be well-informed so they could be effectively engaged. To that end, he created the Committees of Correspondence.
This was a sort of social media for the 18th Century. The committees shared information through letters and pamphlets about British activities that might otherwise be censored or downplayed by the ruling elite.
Adams knew that what was happening in one place was bound to happen elsewhere, and so by sharing details and tactics, everyone was better prepared.
That mindset informs our work at Texas Scorecard. This is why we spend so much time reporting on seemingly “isolated” cases in towns, cities, and schools across the state.
The fact is that King Solomon was right when he wrote, “There is nothing new under the sun!” Something that takes place in your neck of the woods, no doubt, has already happened somewhere else, or will be soon enough. We owe it to each other to share our governing experiences for the benefit of others.
A citizenry armed with relevant information about the goings on “elsewhere” can be better prepared to deal with situations at home. Or, ideally, stop them altogether.
For our self-governing republic to function as intended, “We the People” must devote ourselves not only to being informed but also to actively aiding our fellow patriots in their continuing education.
In doing so, we go a long way toward purchasing another 250 years of greatness for our American republic.
