What the Grievances!
Are Americans living under “pretend legislation?
July 2, 2025
Welcome to part 3 of “What The Grievances!” Today we will cover five more grievances, as we’ve been going through them in the order as they were listed in The Declaration of Independence. I’ve numbered them, for convenience; today we will review grievances 13 thru 17.
Grievance #13
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
“Acts of pretended Legislation?” I do believe we have a lot of that going on today, as well.
This particular grievance should sound familiar to us today. Take your minds back to my previous Substack in Part 2 of “What the Grievances!”
“He has sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.” (Grievance #10)
Our current government system has grown so large in bureaucracy that they truly do eat out our substance as they have been given unjustified jurisdiction, continually dictating mandates, rules, and regulations. They will enforce fines; demand permits and licenses all at your expense. These are additional taxes. These appointed officials within the bureaucracy were not elected, therefore all charges, fees and demands are unconstitutional and can be deemed as taxation without representation.
The Biden-Harris administration, backed by the Communist-Democrat Party, promoted and voted (unanimously) to hire 88,000 more IRS agents (officers) and have them well-armed, trained, and willing to shoot. Other goals of the Democrats were to disarm the American citizens, disable the Border Patrol, and bind the ICE agents from protecting America. Even now that President Trump is in the White House, they continue to push forward their goals in acts of chaos, violence and lies. During the voting for President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, the democrats unanimously voted against adding ICE agents to protect the American people from foreign invaders. Democrats were ok with bureaucrats being armed against Americans but not for protecting Americans from criminals.
The behavior of the bureaucracy is completely unconstitutional. We could call their red tape full of mandates and regulations, “Acts of pretended Legislation.”
“Acts of pretended Legislation,” is also how I view “Executive Orders.” EOs were never intended to be laws; that is totally unconstitutional. However, it seems that our nation is now ruled by lawsuits and Executive Orders. America’s two-party system fights for power, not for our Liberty. During the Senate “reconstruction” of President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, the arguments became negotiations (Senators practicing extortion for their states). Pretend Legislation? Big government is never beautiful, and neither are these big bills. I love President Trump, but we need to trim this government down!
So many departments, so little Liberty!
Grievance #14
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
Instead of stationing the soldiers in forts, the king forced the colonists to house his army; I doubt they were gracious houseguests.
Grievance #15
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
When these soldiers committed crimes against the colonists, they were not held accountable. They might have had to endure a short burden of pretend trial, but they were never punished.
Compared to today, I do not know of any parallel to quartering troops in our homes. We have, however, seen the mockery of congressional hearings. FBI agents have lied before congress. We’ve watched Congress conduct investigations and hearings but we have seen very little justice as a result of these.
Let me slip in our Second Amendment here. These grievances, and others yet to come, lay out the reasons for the First and Second Amendments of the Bill of Rights. While there is much debate about the need for the 2nd Amendment today, there should not be! In my mind it is very simple, a militia is the people ready and able to defend their homes and land from a tyrannical government; a government that perpetrates “Acts of pretended Legislation,” and then arms itself against the people.
Amendment II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
While the Communist-Democrat Party might argue that this means the military, and the people do not need to “bear arms,” they know they are lying. Many on the LEFT (the Democrat Party) follow Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals.” Alinsky lists eight steps to creating a socialist state. The fourth step reads like this, “Gun Control- Remove the ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state.” You see, the LEFT knows their want for gun control has absolutely nothing to do with the safety of citizens, but everything to do with the safety of tyrants!
Without the willingness of the colonists to form a militia, General Washington would not have been able to defeat General Cornwallis at Yorktown and thus win our Independence from the tyrannical king!
The King Done Them Wrong!
“The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.”
The king already knew the grievances of the colonists. They had petitioned him numerous times, for which he answered with increased injuries. The Declaration of Independence was written to let the world know (in particular, France) that America is now an independent nation, not belonging to, or answering to, King George III.
Knowing this declaration to the world would make the king a bit sore, it was necessary that a free people declare their freedom, their Independence.
Grievance 16
For cutting off Trade with all parts of the world
The king and parliament literally cut off the colonists’ trade with the rest of the world.
NAFTA, CAFTA, GATT and Free Trade were, and still are, bad for Americans!
Through numerous Trade Treaties today, America isn’t cut off from trade, but our own industries have been severely hindered by unfair trade policies and practices. Congress has made such one-sided and unfair trade deals that it economically enticed our own factories to go overseas, which left American workers jobless. Free Trade has been beneficial to other nations (in particular China) but the deals, from our standpoint, were, and are, far from free for American businesses. We found ourselves, as a nation, dependent on other nations (our enemies) for products of all kinds: food, toiletries, gadgets, and more critically, medical supplies and products. Our military is dependent on foreign imports for items needed for our national defense. It is a travesty! Stupid selfish trade deals made by Congress and former administrations crippled America’s economy and job sector.
Then along comes President Trump and his Liberation Day as he began his art of the deal using tariffs. Many so-called experts say they will wreck our economy, cause horrific inflation etc.… but so far, President Trump using tariffs as his tools for negotiations, many nations have already agreed to “fairer trade” deals with the USA. Time will tell and one day history will report what now appears to be trade victories for all!
Grievance 17
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.
The greedy king had needs. He had need of money to fund his wars, so he thought, “Why not tax those colonists over there? They are an easy resource!” The Stamp Act was pretty much the tax that broke the camel’s back. The king was going to tax everything! The Stamp Act of 1765 required the colonists to pay a tax, represented by a stamp, on various forms of papers, documents, and playing cards. It was a direct tax imposed by the British government without the approval of the colonial legislatures and was payable in hard-to-obtain British sterling, rather than colonial currency.
The colonists rebelled, but what were they to do? They seemed to have no voice, no representation before the king or parliament.
It was in 1767 that British troops, the king’s armed IRS, “occupied” Boston in order to enforce the Townshend Duties (taxes on paint, paper, tea, etc.). Once again, taxes were forced upon the colonists without justification and without representation.
Our brave Founding Fathers taught us that Liberty is always in the hands of the people, but first it must be a longing and a lust within their hearts. “There is a certain enthusiasm in Liberty that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” Alexander Hamilton.
The colonists of this nation were greatly outnumbered; they received very little “news” as the king controlled their flow of information. There were those who wrote underground newsletters and pamphlets, circulating them amongst trusted colonists, letting them know what was happening and where the battles were being fought. The mode of communication was slow, but it was accurate and resourceful. Thomas Paine wrote “The American Crisis” and George Washington shared it with his troops. Have you read it lately?
Someone said to me that this country is done, that America is finished. I refuse this notion! I wondered, what has this person done in this new fight for Liberty during today’s American Crisis? There will always be an American Crisis (The American Crisis Continues) but today, we have a new Commander in Chief in President Donald J. Trump, and he has told us to “Fight-fight-fight!” America, it is up to us!
These are, once again, the times that try men’s souls. As I study, and read and reread these grievances, I gain hope. I feel charged to share them with you. Please know that your comments are always welcome and encouraged. As the colonists did, we must rely on each other for strength, courage, and hope!
Grab some of that enthusiasm for Liberty; let’s rise above ourselves and work together to Bring America Home.©
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