What it means to be an American

I've been interested in politics for about 15 years. I studied it in college, graduating with a Political Science degree. I have been fortunate to see its inner workings up close as campaign coordinator for a U.S. Senate candidate who came a hair away from winning. I have run a large student political organizations. I've run for State Senate myself, as a candidate. Gladly, I did not win ;) I have seen and heard a lot over the years and have always been an avid consumer of news, politics and sociology.

Yet, before today I have not felt compelled to write about my thoughts and observations outside of a few facebook notes and provoking status updates ;) So, why today? It's a slow work day. Kidding.

I have a deep respect and appreciation for what the United State of America has achieved as a people. We have done more to progress human rights, living standards and embrace the spirit of individual freedom than any other nation in the history of Earth. Yes, our history is also reflective of the frailties of human imperfection. But this is a great nation, built on timeless principles which are now being torn apart from within. Our greatest challenge today comes not from enemy armies. It comes from our inability to look at ourselves in the mirror and answer this one basic question...

What does it mean to be an American?

It likely means many different things to many different people. Yet, I suspect most of our elected leaders would have a difficult time clearly and succinctly answering this fundamental question.

For me the answer lies within the question itself... "to be". It means being able "to be" whatever one wishes, within the limits of one's given abilities. Being an American means enjoying a system of government that allows us "to be". And this bring me right back to why I have decided to begin blogging.

Like millions of Americans, thousands of which you're seeing at Town Halls across the country, I have decided to wake up and say "No". No more government intrusion, no more government programs to "take care of me". No more being told by government officials "what's good for me". And no more redistribution of my hard-earned wealth.

The winds of dissent are howling in America. Finally. It's these winds at my back that have encouraged me to once again get involved, engage others and at least try to make a difference. Because what's at stake is more than a Health Care bill, it's more than government deficits, more than mere politics. It's our very way of life that is at stake. It's me and millions of others telling the government, which is presumably under our authority, that enough is enough. Turn the ship around. Go back. Not many would disagree that our current course as a nation is untenable -- financially, socially and spiritually (in a secular sense).

That's why I have titled this blog, "Spirit of '76". In my own small way I hope to promote the spirit of those people over 200 years ago who did the unthinkable. The impossible. They formed a new social contract that for the first time, put the ideal of individual liberty above all others.

It is this America that I'm fighting and now, writing for.