[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "People have a right to independence.
It is the principle upon which this nation is was founded."

But Independence in 1776 was not the first resort of our Founders, it was their last resort, after all other efforts had failed and, indeed, after the British government had already declared and started war on Americans.
The key word in their Declaration is "necessary", which appears there four times, beginning with:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands "

The remainder of the Declaration explains why it was necessary.
No Founder ever supported disunion "at pleasure".

[DiogenesLamp]

The remainder of the Declaration explains why it was necessary.

"Necessary" is in the eye of the beholder. Stop trying to judge other people by what *YOU* regard as necessary. George III didn't think the Colonists reasons for secceeding were "necessary", but it was up to them, not him, to decide what was "necessary".

We today suffer under far more egregious taxation than they ever did, are we too conclude that we now have a better argument for independence than did they?