SAN ANTONIO, Texas — More than 200 years ago, our country was founded under the concept of self-government. No longer would a "holier than thou" benefactor dictate how the masses should live their lives. The king had been replaced by the individual. Every single citizen was guaranteed the natural right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The government ceased controlling the people. Instead, the people controlled the government.

This concept was new. It was vastly different from other nations of the time. But the codification of this new-found freedom was not guaranteed. In fact, the first attempt failed, and a new constitution would be required. Nothing more shows the concern of the everyday inhabitants than the story of the woman who asked Benjamin Franklin, as he exited Independence Hall, "Sir, what type of government do we have?"

"A republic, if you can keep it," replied the aged statesmen.

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Christopher Carosa

Chris Carosa has been writing a weekly article and monthly column for BenefitsPRO online and BenefitsPRO Magazine since 2011 and is a nationally recognized award-winning writer, researcher and speaker. He’s written seven books, including From Cradle to Retire: The Child IRA; Hey! What’s My Number? – How to Increase the Odds You Will Retire in Comfort; A Pizza The Action: Everything I Ever Learned About Business I Learned By Working in a Pizza Stand at the Erie County Fair; and the widely acclaimed 401(k) Fiduciary Solutions. Carosa is also Chief Contributing Editor of the authoritative trade journal FiduciaryNews.com and publisher of the Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel, a weekly community newspaper he founded in 1989. Currently serving as President of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and with more than 1,000 articles published in various publications, he appears regularly in the national media. A “parallel” entrepreneur, he actively runs a handful of businesses, including a small boutique investment adviser, providing hands-on experience for his writing. A trained astrophysicist, he also holds an MBA and has been designated a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor. Share your thoughts and story ideas with him through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/christophercarosa/)and Twitter (https://twitter.com/ChrisCarosa).