It’s way worse than 1776. The imposition of a token tea tax to help cover the expenses of the French & Indian War- which the colonists fervently requested from the crown - seems like the most trifling offense in comparison to our current predicament. Imagine if, instead, the crown had conspired to flood the colonies with hostile Frenchmen and Indians, had charged much heavier taxes to give to pay immigrants, and punished any colonists that tried to resist it or to maintain order in the ensuing chaos.