Happy Fourth and The Founders on Newburyport Charter Reform

Happy 4th everyone....WXRV the River 92.5 just played one of my favorite songs: "4th of July" by X.

And now from our Founders--arguments for taking a look under the hood at the possibility of reviewing and reforming Newburyport's Charter. I believe I don't need permission from the National Archives for using these lines ;-).

1. WHEN IN the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
2. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
3. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;
4. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Hey, I'm not saying we're suffering under a long reign of Despotism, but perhaps, despite the best efforts of many, our current structure has put us under a long reign of Stagnation--stuck in neutral. Time to take a look to get our Charter up to rigors of the time.

Happy 4th.