by Mark Silva
Think of it as the audacity of America.
The audacity of 13 colonies to declare independence from the British Empire, the audacity of their descendants to "blaze a westward trail,'' the audacity to build the world's greatest economic engine -- and now, says President Barack Obama, on the Fourth of July, the audacity to tackle a daunting recession, repair an "unsustainable healthcare system,'' fix broken schools and free the nation from dependence on oil.
That's how the president is framing the challenge for a nation on this Independence Day, a holiday on which to "kick back,'' Obama says in his weekly radio and Internet address, but not a time to kick the nation's problems "down the road.''
"We are called to remember how unlikely it was that our American experiment would succeed at all; that a small band of patriots would declare independence from a powerful empire; and that they would form, in the new world, what the old world had never known - a government of, by, and for the people,'' Obama said today.
:"Our economy - and our nation itself - are endangered by festering problems we have kicked down the road for far too long: spiraling health care costs; inadequate schools; and a dependence on foreign oil.
"We are not a people who fear the future. We are a people who make it. And on this July 4th, we need to summon that spirit once more. We need to summon the same spirit that inhabited Independence Hall two hundred and thirty-three years ago today.''
See the president's Independence Day address above and read it below:
Hello and Happy Fourth of July, everybody. This weekend is a time to get together with family and friends, kick back, and enjoy a little time off. And I hope that's exactly what all of you do. But I also want to take a moment today to reflect on what I believe is the meaning of this distinctly American holiday.
Today, we are called to remember not only the day our country was born - we are also called to remember the indomitable spirit of the first American citizens who made that day possible.
We are called to remember how unlikely it was that our American experiment would succeed at all; that a small band of patriots would declare independence from a powerful empire; and that they would form, in the new world, what the old world had never known - a government of, by, and for the people.
That unyielding spirit is what defines us as Americans. It is what led generations of pioneers to blaze a westward trail.
It is what led my grandparents' generation to persevere in the face of a Depression and triumph in the face of tyranny.
It is what led generations of American workers to build an industrial economy unrivalled around the world.
It is what has always led us, as a people, not to wilt or cower at a difficult moment, but to face down any trial and rise to any challenge, understanding that each of us has a hand in writing America's destiny.
That is the spirit we are called to show once more. We are facing an array of challenges on a scale unseen in our time. We are waging two wars. We are battling a deep recession. And our economy - and our nation itself - are endangered by festering problems we have kicked down the road for far too long: spiraling health care costs; inadequate schools; and a dependence on foreign oil.
Meeting these extraordinary challenges will require an extraordinary effort on the part of every American. And that is an effort we cannot defer any longer.
Now is the time to lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity. Now is the time to revamp our education system, demand more from teachers, parents, and students alike, and build schools that prepare every child in America to outcompete any worker in the world.
Now is the time to reform an unsustainable health care system that is imposing crushing costs on families, businesses, large and small, and state and federal budgets. We need to protect what works, fix what's broken, and bring down costs for all Americans. No more talk. No more delay. Health care reform must happen this year.
And now is the time to meet our energy challenge - one of the greatest challenges we have ever confronted as a people or as a planet. For the sake of our economy and our children, we must build on the historic bill passed by the House of Representatives, and make clean energy the profitable kind of energy so that we can end our dependence on foreign oil and reclaim America's future.
These are some of the challenges that our generation has been called to meet. And yet, there are those who would have us try what has already failed; who would defend the status quo. They argue that our health care system is fine the way it is and that a clean energy economy can wait. They say we are trying to do too much, that we are moving too quickly, and that we all ought to just take a deep breath and scale back our goals.
These naysayers have short memories. They forget that we, as a people, did not get here by standing pat in a time of change. We did not get here by doing what was easy. That is not how a cluster of 13 colonies became the United States of America.
We are not a people who fear the future. We are a people who make it. And on this July 4th, we need to summon that spirit once more. We need to summon the same spirit that inhabited Independence Hall two hundred and thirty-three years ago today.
That is how this generation of Americans will make its mark on history. That is how we will make the most of this extraordinary moment. And that is how we will write the next chapter in the great American story. Thank you, and Happy Fourth of July.
Comments
To all the Conservatives - Happy Independence Day.
To all the Flatliners - Happy Dependence Day.
As BO recollects about how this country, 233 years ago about sought its independence for England he talks about the American Experiment and then attempts to make the link to health insurance. The only difference is the great experiment of gov't health insurance has been tried in other countries and even a few states and it has been shown to be a failure.
As we remember the struggles of our forefathers fighting for their independence from a tyranical gov't - ask yourself why you would want to give up part of your idependence to your gov't? Are you not independent and self-suufficient enough to provide for your own health insurance or will hand this task over to a federal bureaucrat?
If you need the federal bureaucrat, then Happy DEPENDENCE Day on the this 4th of July.
Posted by: Terry | July 4, 2009 8:18 AM
Talking points!, we need leadership, not talking points. Stop running you won!. If nothing else shake up your cabinet, because most Americans are not liking your wild spending. One last time please pay attention, you can not spend your way out of this recession. period. Many believe that like the weather this down turn other than what the Dems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac screwed up, that this is cyclical and will turn itself around.
Posted by: Paul | July 4, 2009 12:06 PM
Terry's celebrating the holiday by waving his flag with 13 stars. Health insurance in Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Canada, France and England is a failure? What a joke.
Posted by: Flo | July 4, 2009 4:17 PM
Call it the slobbering of the reporters ...
Good God above, must EVERYTHING somehow be about Obama? Aucacity my foot.
Posted by: Beth | July 4, 2009 4:53 PM
Imagine the audacity of a man glomming onto, and mashing together, the vision of the founders and the memory of the racist, genocidal settlers who pushed westward, burying tribe after tribe, just to support of his health care plan and a variety of other socialist programs. His vision of history is very Disney-like when it serves his purposes. Unfortunately for us, we will now have to spend more time re-educating people with regard to the history of the founders - who would have found Obama’s political ideology VILE; as well as the western settlers, who would also have preferred to make their own way in life rather than depend on Washington for anything. Ironic, isn’t it?
Posted by: John W. | July 4, 2009 5:20 PM
"Good God above, must EVERYTHING somehow be about Obama?" Posted by: Beth
Good God, Beth, you're the perpetural whiner... look at the other stories Beth...one about McCain, 2 about Palin.
Posted by: gladys | July 4, 2009 7:21 PM
Here's Canada's health care - that's who I want to be like
http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090507.wcancertest07art2300/CommentStory/specialScienceandHealth/
Gladys,
The story about Gov palin is only because of the recent news. Although the writer does seem to like to write a lot of stories about the Gov of Alaska. wonder why?
Posted by: Terry | July 4, 2009 8:18 PM
"The story about Gov palin is only because of the recent news." Oh, ya think, Terry? wink wink
And maybe the story about Obama is because it's a national holiday and he's the President? I'm glad Beth the Whiner has a spokesman.
Posted by: gladys | July 4, 2009 9:37 PM
" John W ", I would use your own choice of words, vile, to describe your commentary, but then, you, being a " nattering nabob of negativism ", as one of your infamous leaders once mouthed, it is not worth the time or effort. That those illustrious settlers were totally dependent on the constant military protection, from Washington, belies them preferring "... to make their own way in life rather than depend on Washington for anything. " Once again, it is distortion and misstatements that are fundamental to holding your screed together. To distort President Obama's advocacy for a public option to the healthcare choices, is not, nor will ever be, and element of socialism. If you like your healthcare policy, you keep it. Nobody is forcing you to accept any public option, but that doesn't matter to you, since the essence of your screed, is to smear and scare. It is unfortunate that you can't present a reasoned position, instead, you try to belittle, name-call, or distort. It didn't work during the presidential elections and it certainly will not work in the debate, on how we are to fix our broken healthcare system. You talk of a Disney-like vision and I suggest to you, that yours is a distorted vision, along the lines of your fearless leaders, Bush&Cheney and their delusions . No, your commentaries could be judged mean-spirited and distorted, but I would characterize them as quite benign, even laughable. Of course, that is only one man's opinion !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | July 5, 2009 12:45 AM
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Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | July 5, 2009 12:45 AM
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Don:
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1. If my post is not worth the time and effort, then why have you written an entire editorial in response to it?
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2. The “nattering nabob of negativism” comment came from Spiro Agnew, who was a Republican. I am not a Republican. I am a Libertarian. Therefore, you wrongly suggest that the statement came from one of my “infamous leaders.”
3. Your sense of history is just as Disney like as Obama’s if you think the western settlers always had the protection of the United State Army. They didn’t. Furthermore, when they settled in sufficient numbers, they didn’t need that help. They could then commit mass atrocities against the native tribes without the help of the Army. However, one must admit that the Army also helped to exterminate all those pesky Indians - in furtherance of the westward movement that Obama is so proud of.
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4. I agree that ‘to distort” Obama’s plan is not a part of socialism. However, if you knew was socialism is, you would know that his health care plan - among other things - follows the socialist model of government. That is, it depends on a central point of dispensing benefits to a collectivized population. It is summed up nicely in Lenin’s maxim: “To him (i.e. from the government) according to his needs; from him (i.e. to the government) according to his abilities.” If you think socialism is anything more than that, or has to be anything more, you are gravely mistaken. If you like Lenin’s idea, you are a socialist at heart. If you like it but don’t like the socialist label, you are still a socialist at heart. Live with it.
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5. There is nothing Disney-like about my views. I have a healthy distrust for government. I have seen the government run over and crush too many people in order to function more “efficiently.” You yourself have explained how the government and your union worked together to deprive you of benefits. And you can be optimistic and trusting of government after that? At some point, trust in government can go too far. Wherever that point may be, you have already crossed it. And, BTW, since I am not a Republican, Bush and Cheney are not my “fearless leaders.”
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6. If you want our troops home alive, in one piece and whole now, go talk to your fearless leader, your terrestrial God, Obama. (If anything is vile, it’s your undying devotion to that idiot.) He is the one who has the power to bring them home. But he isn’t doing it. The troops will come home from Iraq only according to the timetable agreed upon by Bush and the Iraqi Government - and Obama is happy with that.
Posted by: John W. | July 5, 2009 5:31 PM
I see you are living up to your billing: a nattering nabob of negativism !! Of course, you aren't a Republican, just like the Bush&Cheney nightmare, wasn't Republican !! Your sophomoric concepts of a President's power are laughable. The troops are coming home, under President Obama's watch. They could have just as easily been left in Iraq !! Of course, you knew all of that, for your stupidity gives you that delusion, you so liberally exhibit, that you know everything. Most of us know, that you are lucky to even know your name. So, keep hiding behind the Libertarian mask, you look so comical in it !! I'd call you an idiot, like you called our President, but I would be doing idiots an injustice. They aren't as mean-spirited and as small-minded as you are !!
Go and type some more lies and distortions, like those western settlers, who didn't need the American Army, to settle the west !! Better yet, why don't you take a few weeks off, from all of your name-calling, distortions, and lies and study American History 101. You might learn something.
In the meantime, I know, when I see " John W " postings, it would be a waste of my time, to even read the first line of it. So, you can post your lies and distortions scot-free, I will not be bothering to read them anymore.
I know that's going to greatly disappoint you, but, as you'll find out, that's life.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | July 6, 2009 12:11 AM
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Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | July 6, 2009 12:11 AM
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Strange, how it is that you don't answer any of my points, but simply resorted to name calling.
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You lose.
Posted by: John W. | July 6, 2009 9:49 AM
"It is summed up nicely in Lenin’s maxim: “To him (i.e. from the government) according to his needs; from him (i.e. to the government) according to his abilities.”"
BUZZZZ. Wrong!
The quote you mangle does not originate with Lenin. It originates with Louis Blanc in 1840.
Although there is a strong argument that the true origin of the phrase actualy originates with the that Marxist tome, the Acts of the Apostles:
"34. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35. And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
Thanks for Playing! As a consolation prize you'll be recieving a copy of "The Swamp, The Home Game" by Milton Bradley.
Posted by: The one, the only , Groucho! | July 6, 2009 4:52 PM
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Posted by: The one, the only , Groucho! | July 6, 2009 4:52 PM
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Lenin copied it and used it. Thus, it was perfectly fine for me to put the words in his mouth even if it originated elsewhere. After all, which politician is credited with having said, “A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away”? Was it:
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A. Gerald Ford
B. Ronald Reagan
C. Barry Goldwater, or
D. Thomas Jefferson.
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Hint: This is actually a trick question, but the answer will illustrate my point.
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And the idea did NOT start with the quote from the Acts of the Apostles. The Christians of Jerusalem were a voluntary community that banded together to share everything in common. That has nothing to do with forced extraction of property by a government for redistribution.
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Thanks for playing.
Posted by: John W. | July 6, 2009 8:03 PM
John W,
I guess Groucho is out consulting with his brother Karl :)
Posted by: Terry | July 7, 2009 8:16 PM
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Posted by: Terry | July 7, 2009 8:16 PM
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You must be right. Gee, and he never offered an answer to my trick question. (Sigh.)
Posted by: John W. | July 8, 2009 11:32 AM