[Political Junkie Too]

The United States existed by the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

You said "How could they be, when the U.S. didn’t yet exist?" in your response to my quoting the Preamble.

You were wrong.

-PJ

[Tublecane]

“The United States existed by the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”

No, a certain union of states under the Continental Congress existed by the signing of the Declaration. When people say “the United States,” in caps like that, they are referring specifically to the system of government coming into existence upon the ratification of the Constitution in 1788. It is under that document, and no other, that you (presumably), me, and Obama are citizens.

“You said ‘How could they be, when the U.S. didn’t yet exist?’ in your response to my quoting the Preamble.”

Yes. One cannot be a citizen of a country which doesn’t yet exist.