This week's edition of the Newtown Bee falls directly on July 4 (which means many of you will actually be reading it on July 5), so it seemed a good time to talk about our nation's celebration of its founding and its break from England.

According to Wikipedia, "The Founding Father delegates of the Second Continental Congress declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain, King George III, and were now united, free, and independent states.[1] The Congress voted to approve independence by passing the Lee Resolution on July 2 and adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, on July 4."

Wikipedia also notes, "A day earlier, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail: 'The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.'

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress."

Phew! Could you imagine the Second of July? Just doesn't sound as nice.

As of this writing, the weather is forecasted to be sunny and in the low 80s, so sounds like a perfect day for barbecues and fireworks, and we wish everyone a Happy Fourth whether they are reading this editorial before or after that day.

One notable thing to us today about the founding of our nation was how they envisioned a government were each branch of the government acted as checks on the other branches, and that the start of the country was envisioned with no political parties. The truth of the matter was, that the country was already dividing into factions even during the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. However, the country was envisioned as a place where all voices would have to come together and compete, and it was only through consensus that anything would get done.

The Founding Fathers would not recognize today with its Executive Orders and Reconciliation Bills, which both parties have used to push through policy. Forcing ideas through without dissent or compromise was never really meant to happen. Both parties have grown too used to trying to one-up each other and the very ideas of compromise and give-and-take are only seen through the lens of between a single party's factions, not with the other side.

It is often said that in any disagreement between two sides, the truth (or in many cases, the best course of action) is somewhere in the middle. The best solutions are ones that may leave both sides unhappy but that both sides could live with and find acceptable. This is what our Founders envisioned. Our nation would be a healthier, less divided one if we could remember that.

As Abraham Lincoln said at another time of great division, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

As we celebrate the birth of our nation together, maybe we should consider that it is together that is always the best way forward.