Read the excerpt below. A government of our own is our natural right . . . It is infinitely wiser and safer, to form a constitution of our own in a cool deliberate manner, while we have it in our power, than to trust such an interesting event to time and chance. —Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776 Based on the excerpt, Paine recommends that Americans refuse to pay taxes to the British government. Conduct business without regulations. Write a constitution while the chance exists. Leave American independence to chance.