Day75 Friday 11/12/10

ran 2.6 miles

• Delaware was the first state to join the union on December 7, 1787, only five days before Pennsylvania.

• Population, as of 2009, is 885,122.

• Delaware is the second smallest state next to Rhode Island.

• Senators are Thomas Carper (D) and Edward Kaufman (D).

• Representative is Michael Castle (R).

• Delaware holds three electoral votes and has participated in every single presidential election. The state has held three electoral votes throughout its history except for 1812 and 1820, when it contributed four electoral votes. Historically, Delaware has voted Republican through most of the twentieth century and, like many other northeastern states, they have voted Democratic in the last five presidential elections. Barack Obama garnered 62% of Delaware’s popular vote against John McCain in 2008.

Looking over facts and history about Delaware, realizing the importance of its status as the first state to join the union, the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, it is an exceptional namesake to have in American history. If you can imagine the circumstances of what thirteen American colonies were trying to do against the British Empire, with all odds against them, to sign the Declaration of Independence, which was an action punishable by death had America not gained its independence from England, and then to finally be victorious and to begin the knitting together of this nation, colony by colony, state by state, until it became the amazing nation we’ve known it to be since we were children, our parents were children, and all the way back, generation by generation, that helped forge and maintain the integrity of what this country is intended to be.

Imagine these thirteen colonies in 1787, discussing their futures and what they want to do with their newly earned freedom. The thirteen colonies joined the union in a rapid succession spanning only three years and many colonies joined within days of one another. But you can almost sense a feeling of trepidation, as though the individual colonies were thinking to themselves, “So what do we do now?” That is where Delaware came in, as a leader, and made the first move to get America rolling. It really is something to be proud of.

America fought for their independence from England primarily to end excessive taxation on the colonies. The circular path of history has once again made its loop right here to 2010. America’s economy has weakened, certainly not beyond redemption, but it has weakened to an alarming status. Today, at the G-20 summit, Barack Obama took some general press questions and made a response to one particular question that he intended to work with Republicans and Democrats to extend the Bush tax cuts for middle-class Americans but that he was adamant to end tax cuts for high-earning Americans. What that means is, if your household income is $250,000 or more you will be paying a lot more taxes, the upper-middle class will continue to tread in cold, murky waters of uncertainty, and lower-middle class and financially challenged individuals will continue to pay no taxes. Raising taxes on the wealthy is one of the most irrational, incomprehensible ideas anyone could possibly construe at an economic time like this.

“Who buys more products from small businesses and large corporations than anyone else?”

“Who sells you more products than anyone else?”

“Who donates money to charities, which support worthy causes and employ thousands?”

“Who invests sums of money that people like me cannot even begin to comprehend the value of into businesses and the general commerce that keeps America thriving?”

I could go on and on with these rhetorical questions, but the obvious conclusion is that wealthy Americans are responsible for all of these actions on a large scale. If a government over-taxes the wealthy, the wealthy will stop spending money and put their heads in their shells like turtles until spending money seems like a fair deal again at some indefinite point in the future. It is a trickle down effect that only hurts everyone else except the wealthy. It is the worst possible option at this point in time and it is stunning that our own president feels passionate and justified in pursuing such detriment to this country.

Furthermore, anyone who is angry with or jealous of other people who are rich, and feel that because a man or woman is rich they are somehow obligated to give some of their money to you because they have too much, and you feel it is unfair for them to live like “That” when you live like “This”, I have one thing to say, “Take a look in the mirror, mull things over, and remind yourself that you live in America and whether you want to live as a pauper or a prince, this country allows you to succeed if you have the determination."

1,879.3 miles to go.