Our founders

The signers of the Declaration of Independence knew exactly what they were getting themselves into when they decided to sign that document. In fact, that is where we get this saying: we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. In addition, in response to the statement that "we must all hang together", Benjamin Franklin coyly stated ... "we must all hang together or we will most assuredly all hang separately". So, if they knew what they were in for, why'd they do it? After all:

Of the 56, 52 of them risked their lives and their fortunes during the war with 9 of them giving their lives. They were mostly professional men with 25 of them lawyers, 12 merchants, 9 landowners, 4 physicians, 2 farmers, 2 politicians, 1 printer, 1 clergyman (although 2 had formerly been clergy and 15 percent of them were sons of clergy. They were mostly well educated by the standards of the day, but not necessarily by today's standards. After all, 28 of them graduated college in the colonies: 8 from Harvard, 5 from William and Mary, 4 from Yale, 2 from Princeton (although it was called the College of New Jersey I think at the time) and 1 from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, 8 studied abroad, 11 were self-educated and 3 were common school educated. That leaves 6 with some schooling. Would anyone follow someone today who was "self-educated"?

What we believe about their status is also a bit off. After all, they were not all rich men. Only 18 were rich men and some of them lost everything. Richard Stockton gave up his fortune and his life. Francis Lewis lost his fortune, land and eventually his wife. She was captured by the British, exchanged, and later died because of the treatment she received during her captivity. William Paca of Maryland lost his fortune outfitting the army. Thomas Nelson, Jr. lost his property during the war and had to give the order to blow up his own house after the British occupied it. William Ellery and Josiah Bartlett's houses were burned while those of George Clymer, Lyman Hall, John Hart, William Floyd, William Hooper, Francis Hopkinson, and Arthur Middleton were destroyed or thoroughly ransacked, in total 17 lost all their property.

A total of 17 of the signers actually served in the military during the war risking their lives on the battlefield.

Out of all of this, 0 lost their "sacred honor". Not a single one of the signers questioned that act or their decision. This is the stock our founders were made of. They did it because an oppressive government was trying to control them. So, I'd follow this kind of person. One who would be willing to sacrifice for their country all that they had; life, fortune, property, family for a greater cause but who would never compromise their sacred honor. Where are they?