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The Fourth of July shouldn't be about pretending America has always gotten it right. Lord knows we haven't.It's about remembering that this country exists because ordinary people decided those in power weren't beyond criticism. Somewhere along the way, Republicans and Democrats convinced millions of Americans that their biggest enemy lives next door instead of in Washington. Meanwhile, the political class keeps getting richer, more powerful, and more insulated from the consequences of the decisions they make. The two party system is rigged, and it's decidedly not rigged in our favor.Politics isn't football. Democrats and Republicans aren't opposing sports teams, and an American losing shouldn't feel like your team just scored. If your happiness depends on half the country being miserable, you've forgotten that we're all supposed to leave this place better than we found it. Being American has never meant loyalty to a party. It means questioning authority, defending the rights of people you disagree with, and remembering that every elected official works for us, not the other way around. Stop treating politicians like celebrities. Stop defending bad ideas just because your team proposed them. Stop confusing party loyalty with patriotism.Celebrate your family. Celebrate your neighbors. Celebrate the freedom to speak your mind. Celebrate the imperfect perfectness this American Experiment has always strived for, as noted in the Preamble: "a more perfect Union".Starting today, go back to being the kind of citizen who makes everyone in power earn your trust. Happy Independence Day. Here's to another 250 years.