Let’s set the record straight. When our ancestors fought for independence, they did not fight to trade one form of control for another. They fought for freedom—real freedom—before any state was even recognized as a governing authority. But in 1787, when the Constitution was drafted, there were roughly 4 million people living in the United States. Out of those 4 million, only about 240,000 people—a small, privileged fraction—had the legal ability to vote or participate in shap