COLUMNIST: What we can learn from Finland

On July 2, 1776, a Finnish-American man held the destiny of the United States in his hands.

The scene was the hall in Philadelphia that hosted the Second Continental Congress. The man of destiny was John Morton, speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly and the swing vote in his state delegation that could create the United States of America.

If Morton voted no, the influential colony would be recorded as opposed to independence. This could deal a fatal blow to the infant nation by delaying or dashing hopes for a vote for independence from Great Britain that was unopposed by any of the colonies. If he said yes, the Pennsylvania delegation would flip to a 3-to-2 pro-independence majority, creating unstoppable national momentum for a break with King George III's government.

But it would place