It keeps coming up---"American exceptionalism". It can even be found in the comment section of this blog site's last entry, finding its way into a dialogue not directly related, but somehow always relevant to many an American mind set, and is often used in the same breath as "the American dream", It was mentioned this week on "Meet the Press", as the talking heads discussed the current crop of Republican nominees for president and what the American people really want in their president----and whether any of the nominees, or even President Obama, has that intangible quality that will inspire people to once again believe that the American dream is still possible and react accordingly----because that dream is fading ---we are losing confidence in ourselves and the notion that we are in any way exceptional. On the contrary, there is a visible shift in our historical and here-to-fore national pride and self image ----we no longer feel like winners, but more like losers here at home and on the world stage. A "Shining city on the hill", as President Reagan called us? Not so much. That hill has eroded beneath us, as we struggle to shore it up with so called stimulus money we don't have, and which so far has proven to be ineffective. There are conflicting philosophies as to how to regain our economic footing, and more and more speeches and debates. You can hear the despair in our conversations about ourselves, read it in the daily news of unemployment and foreclosure figures, and see it in the resigned, sad eyes of a people, who once proud, now instinctively sense our greatness slipping away.
We are becoming quite unexceptional, and we sense it. China is eating our lunch, owning much of our debt, and we resent it. We have lost our way and our standing as the greatest and most respected power, and the whole world knows it. We endlessly discuss the crux of our problems, which is our sick economy, but nobody seems to know how to fix it---or has the courage to do so. Therein lies the despair--- we are no longer what we were, and the urgency of a needed correction and change couldn't be more evident. There are even those who think it's too late, that we are in the throes of a downward spiral from which we will not return very soon, if ever. And even worse, that we have lost our exceptionalism, the key to our identity and the very thing that got us started, always kept us going, and led us away from the cliffs of previous disasters.
So what is or was this exceptionalism?? It may depend on who's doing the talking ,as to whether it is something to which we should still aspire. Possibly the first person to coin the phrase, "American exceptionalism", was Alexis de Tocqueville, a writer, who in 1831 used it as as theory to explain and describe the mix of characteristics that were inherent in the America's early success---liberty, egalitarianism, individual populism, and "laissez faire"----very different from the England and every other country at that time. Later, Abraham Lincoln's words in the Gettysburg Address, were permanently remembered for their strong emphasis on individual freedom and that "all men are created equal---". Much later, New Gingrich, a United States Senator, and currently a Republican presidential hopeful, in both his film, "A Nation Like No Other", and his book, "A City Upon a Hill", echoed those feelings by reminding us that our rights do not come from government, but from God. In a nutshell, American exceptionalism means that one is not limited by his or her birth circumstances, but that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible in terms of financial, career, and social ambitions.
However, though this theory of individual freedom to excell is still widely accepted as the American dream, it is beginning to appear less and less attainable, and perhaps only an old fashioned relic of the past. It is no longer a creed in which we wholeheartedly and unanimously ascribe---it is in fact, the basis for great philosophical and political strife currently being waged in this country today. It may even lie at the core of the main differences between our two political parties, for Conservatives or Republicans still cling to the concept of American Exceptionalism, while Liberals or Democrats tend to underplay and even eschew the strength and effectiveness of individual pursuits, preferring instead to give more power to the government for, in their minds, the greater good.
President Obama in a 2009 speech perhaps revealed his true compass, and may be the reason for his failure to lead a beleagured, doubting country, when he punted in regards to the validity of American exceptionalism and said that while he believed in American exceptionalism, it was no different than that of the British or the people of Greece. In other words, he feels we are not so exceptional, after all. Obama's recent speeches seem to reflect even more so his belief that government, therefore higher taxes, especially from those who are wealthy, are, in large part, the answer to our problems. His idealogy of wealth distribution is becoming more obvious, and seems to encourage class warfare , as he deliberately pits one class against the other, and dims our chances of pulling together---it is disappointing, destructive to our already national, polarized mood, and most unpresidential . But ever the strategic politician, with a laser eye on the 2012 election, Mr. Obama is banking that most of the country will follow his idealogical trumpet call to minority groups and rhetorical fable of the rich, greedy Republicans vs. the Democrats, so-called champions of the poor and middle class. And he may be right---Robin Hood politics sells, and the Republicans need to do more to show that their way is the better way, that real revenue comes not from taking from the rich, but from making it possible for all to materially succeed, thereby creating real, sustainable revenue. They need to put forth a candidate that re-instills a renewed vigor and faith in our ability to restore ourselves--and clear solutions, not just platitudes. Do they have such a person? The media would have us believe not---but it is still early, and the jury has barely begun to assemble.
We are the jury, and our challenge is to recognize that the biggest turning point in our history may be taking place now---do we want to continue on the same path, or will we have the courage to fire those who do not believe in us, and take back the possibility of the American dream and believe once again that we are exceptional---because once upon a time, we gave birth to a nation against all odds, fought hard to overcome great difficulties and enemies, tamed our frontiers, fought even among ourselves to sort out our principles, and built a free, strong, capatalistic country the likes of which the world had never seen. We still take in more immigrants than any other country, based on the American dream theory---we still offer more hope than any other country, but how disappointing it must be for those people to slowly grasp that that dream has seemingly been replaced by a different vision, which stifles and discourages individual success and pursuits, in the name of social progress, but otherwise known as socialism---not a new idea, nor one that has ever flourished beyond mediocrity.
This a crucial time for our country--- the other side of the argument for American exceptionalism is that there are those who feel that it is a negative concept, in that it smacks of ignorance and breeds arrogance, and that it is time for us to become more world integrated and less "parochial" or self focused---and that we should leave some of our constitutional laws behind, including cancelling the next election, as outrageously suggested by democrat North Carolina's governor, Beverly Perdue, last week. Perhaps, the thinking goes, we should think of ourselves, not as disloyal to our original concepts, but as evolving into a better, more enlightened society, where everybody gets a fair share of the pie. Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek magazine referred to a "post American world", which is not about the decline of America, but the rise of everyone else" , But. that sounds more like an excuse, than a remedy, and more like Utopia, than reality. Mr. Zakaria is a smart and nice man, but probably not a believer in American exceptionalism.There will always be room for improvement, and ways to bring opportunity and aid to the unfortunate among us, but does not run-away charity lead to not only an over taxed budget, but a creeping subserviency?
The original American spirit does not believe in rising everybody without merit or as welfare dependants of the rich---or in excusing our decline. It believes in everyone having a crack at the American dream , not through a government which takes from everybody and distributes as it sees fit, but through a free people, willing to work hard for their success. It may be too late, but it is time for those who still believe in American exceptionalism to stand up and be counted---or watch as we become quite ordinary, no longer a "shining city on a hill", but dimmed to the point of intellectual and socialistic "enlightenment".
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Whoa! How did the intellectuals get between your cross-hairs?
ReplyDeleteYou must have something to say about "Occupy Wall Street".
ReplyDeleteTesting----
ReplyDeleteI think the Wall Street demonstrators, most of which are students,I hear, are terribly mis-guided. But last time I checked it's still a free country, so hurray for them. Unfortunately it won't bring forth any new jobs, and may discourage people on that street to create any more. But hey, let's go after "the fat cats"--so much easier to blame big business than big government, who had a lot to do with the mess we find ourselves in, and are very much in bed with Wall Street-think Fannie May and Freddy Mac, who were practically forcing the banks to make unrealistic loans, which in turn brought down the entire housing industry and lined the pockets of politicians and Wall Street bankers. In order to clean up the mess, the current administration has over-regulated and over stimulated to the point of paralysis within the business community. So now, we have another "fat cat" prowling our way---it's name is Big and Bigger Government, with a middle name of Socialism, and its hand maidens are those who think the enemy is big business. Pass the cream, please--oh, I forgot--we don't do cream anymore. Everyone and everything is homogenized and low fat---except the "fat cats" in charge. Mee-ow.
ReplyDeleteKellee
"Fat", "big", "over-regulated": all words that beg for quantification, rendering your remarks meaningless. I get that you disapprove of the Wall Street "occupation", now spreading to other cities. But I learned nothing more.
ReplyDeleteOh! I forgot the word "homogenized". It is my understanding that very comfortably rich citizens of Sweden exist, one of the most socialistic democracies on the planet. But their success is displayed by luxuries, not necessities, like health care. While here we limp along with one of the largest proportions of people existing under the poverty line in the developed world. Upward mobility has become a memory since 1981 here, but not elsewhere. What has happened? Patriotic Americans recall FDR's New Deal with pride, and are not about to surrender that and the progress since then to bloat the few rich to obscene dimensions. ...as American as apple pie.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you didn't learn anything, because you know everything---ahem. Re my unquantified words,perhaps you could ask Obama about the term, "fat cats"---I don't recall he used much quantification when he has used used it to color wall street bankers as greedy, which of course some of them are, but let's remember they give generously to the unions and many of Democrat politicians and to Obama's election campaigns,---which is why it seems so hypocritical for him to criticize and try to identify with the "occupiers" of Wall Street. But politicians and bankers have always made "strange bedfellows"---as American as the Wall Street demonstrators---long live their right to do so, but God give them wisdom to know who and what they're fighting for. Big government? Can you say over 14 trillion and growing,just to run ours? Over regulation? Look up the Dodd/Frank bill, and see if you think it has helped---govt. can hardly manage their own affairs, let alone private enterprise, which needs some regulation, but not the fear of the Dodd/Frank bill keeping them from making loans and doing their business.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you believe in some government regulation. The Dodd/Frank act is a good example of what government can do to prevent another collapse as 2008. Fear is not constructive, but compliance across the board introduces some common sense into our predicament. Unfortunately some candidates are threatening to repeal the act were they to be elected, causing a wait and see attitude and inhibiting recovery. What other kind of regulation would you propose?
ReplyDeleteRe. $14 trillion: can you spell Iraq and Afghanistan?
You're right---the two wars have to be figured into the 14 trillion, but many would argue that they were a necessary evil in order to fight terrorism. But still, to continue to spend like we have an endless supply of money, then to use higher taxes as the only answer seems reckless and foolish. In terms of regulation, I think there were already laws and oversight measures in place---they obviously were being ignored or manipulated, which is infuriating and incredibly damaging, as history has shown. But for people like Chris Dodd and Barney Frank, who to my knowledge have never been in business, to swing to the opposite extreme by choking incentives and motivation is proving to be counter-productive, as we are also seeing. The Dodd/Frank bill is 2000 pages long, and I would leave it up to the professionals to go thru it, and refine, winnnow, and take out what is necessary in order to get the wheels moving again without leaving the original intent, which was prevent runaway greed, corruption, and mis-management----which by the way can be found in all cross sections of our government funded programs---Acorn, Solyndra, Fannie May, Freddie Mac, to name a few. A free market must be allowed to be free, even it means running the risk of bad actors and behavior at times--the market will expose it finally, and correct it --without artificial stimulus and more and more rules to render it no longer a free market player.
ReplyDeleteI think you have an almost superstitious belief in the "free market". But your point about refining Dodd/Frank is well taken. A document of that length cannot be without flaws. All laws bring about unintended consequences, which then must in their turn be addressed. That said, such an act needs teeth, for obvious reasons.
ReplyDeleteThere are a great many of us "superstitious" ones out here---we come from a long line of believers, dating back to the birth of this country. The next election will tell us if there are enough of us to change the very different course to which we seem to have strayed.
ReplyDeleteThere do seem to be a lot of superstitious people out there. I would hope that reason replace emotion pretty soon. When do you date the beginning of this straying away from superstition?
ReplyDeleteWhat's your take on Herman Cain?
ReplyDeleteI'm liking him more and more---he could be the one. And would that not give the Dems fits? How dare the Repubs. run a black man---that's their territory! Cain has a very disarming way about him that draws you in, and then when you listen, he makes a lot of common sense.But need more infor. at this point---does he have the depth of experience so sorely needed now? We need better than good, we need great to heal and repair this sinking ship.
ReplyDeleteCould you take the time to flesh out what you mean by "sinking ship"?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't acknowledge that by now, I'll never convince you---how else would you refer to a oountry with the condition we're in now. The new, improved? Rising to a new norm?? The warning bells are ringing everywhere, in our unemployment figures, our collapsed housing industry, followed by our very unstable economy, our loss of credit standing,and diminishing prestige within the international community, and the general dismal outlook most Americans hold ---we've lost our confidence. The Wall Street gangs are another signal of huge unrest and discontent----but the good they could do is being exploited for political propaganda once again, and by many who haven't lived long enough to know that utopia doesn't exist---we may need tweaking, but not overhauling. Still not convinced? I hear Greece has some very charming islands to live on, if you don't mind that they are on life support, or how about Canada? Their health care quality pales in comparison to ours---so don't get seriously ill there--. Denmark? You're not Danish, and most of them are---homogeneous, literally and politically. It may work for them, but not us. We're Americans--the can-do people, where anything is possible---or used to be.
ReplyDeleteI'm just a cock-eyed optimist.
ReplyDeleteBless you----and the USA.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, whatever happened to our war for Iraq?
ReplyDeleteLooks like we're pulling out a little prematurely---let's hope all the blood and treasure haven't been for nothing.Peace, democracy and "hands-off" are all lovely terms, but they all need lots of hands-on before they can stand alone. Maybe it's time for the Iraqis to care enough to fight for their own cause---we shall see.
ReplyDeleteNow the call Iraq and Afghanistan the "Long War", just the opposite of what we were told in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteWhat we were told apparently was not what reality dictated---we had never fought this kind of war before---terrorism was an unchartered territory--- and one we have no choice but to conquer, no matter what or how long it takes. Let's hope Iran isn't next----
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it will ever end.
ReplyDeleteAll things pass----
ReplyDeleteA wise saying, indeed!
ReplyDeleteI thought this blog was about exceptionalism.
ReplyDeleteMe too---exceptional conversation though.
ReplyDeleteWe'll be looking at "American Exceptionalism" in detail at the next "Philosophy and Religion Group" in Estes Park (CO). Maybe I'll have something to say after that.
ReplyDeleteGreat! But through whose prism will you be looking?? I'll be anxious to hear your thoughts---no matter what or who----love our conversations.
ReplyDelete