Happy Independence Day!

Here's wishing a happy Independence Day to all of my U.S. readers, and hoping that all of my foreign readers enjoy a pleasant July 4.

One thing that all liberals should strive for is the reclamation of the word "liberty". Tragically, the word has been co-opted by creepy authoritarians who seek to erode the civil liberties of any Americans who do not adhere to their draconian code of conduct, and corporatists who seek to remove any barriers to the complete dominance of American society by multinational corporations that are answerable only to the oligarchs. It is a sad, sad thing that the word "liberty" in the name of an organization is a red flag.

The domestic struggles of the 20th century, the struggles for civil rights for minorities and women, demonstrated that a strong federal government is the best guarantor of individual liberties. The bad legislation being put forth in states such as Texas, Ohio, and North Carolina underscores the reality that local and state governments really can't be trusted to safeguard liberty for all residents, not merely straight, white males who adhere to certain sects of a certain religion.

Time to take "liberty" back from those who have been distorting it. That being said, by all means take today off, even a liberal firebrand needs to kick back with a cold beer and a hot dog every once in a while.