Every now and again it’s important to stop for a moment and take stock of things so that we know where we’re at. I can’t think of a better time to do that than on July 4th, our Independence Day.
So far, I’ve used these blogs to criticize a few of those people who seem to have lost faith in our system. I’ve focused on groups suggesting fundamental changes to our approach to government, arguing that everything we’ve done in the past has somehow been off target. They’re some of the same people who apparently believe that our country may be past its prime and is starting a slow decline into the pages of history.
With arguments like that around, it’s important for us to remind ourselves of our success every once and awhile so that we don’t let anyone talk us into abandoning our principles. I’ll keep pointing out problems as I see them come up, because of course we do have a few problems. In doing so though, I’m also going to point out all of those people trying to convince us that any problems we may have are proof that our system isn’t working. The simple fact is that our system is working, and better than any other. The problems that we do have are because of our own shortcomings, not the system’s. 
As Americans, we enjoy unprecedented levels of freedom. We have the luxury of choosing where we work and how we worship. We have the right to keep and bear arms to defend ourselves and our families. We don’t have to worry about the police breaking down the door to our homes in the middle of the night without cause. When we’re accused of a crime, we’re told the charges, given a trial, and a jury of our friends and neighbors decides if we are guilty at all. And, as this blog demonstrates, we’re free to speak our minds – even when it means criticizing our leaders.
Compared with the rest of the world, our system of government is extraordinarily stable. A few years ago, when we had one of the closest presidential elections in history, there was no dissolution of the government, no gunshots fired, no screaming sirens signaling the arrest of members of the losing party. Despite the current political division, there has been no coup like the one we saw in Thailand recently. Unlike a few of our neighbors, there is no looming sense of unease about what will happen when a long-time dictator finally dies. Our system is secure. We hold elections every two years and we abide by the results. No matter the outcome, Americans for the most part just go about their daily business.
We’ve been pretty successful too. With a GDP of about $13.13 trillion, the U.S. has the largest and most powerful economy in the world. We lead the world in advanced technologies, especially in computers, medical, aerospace, and military equipment. Everyday in our country, more than 145.9 million people go to work. The unemployment rate is only 4.5% - a rate most economists would call “full employment” – and, even in spite of burdensome and costly regulation, the economy continues to grow at a rate of about 3.2%.
All things considered, I’d say we’re doing pretty well. In just 231 years, our system of government has been more successful than any of the many others that preceded it. So, when we do run into problems, let’s just ignore all those folks that say we’ve been getting it wrong all along. Instead, why don’t we just look and see what roadblocks have been thrown in the way of our tried and true system and get rid of them.
