The real America...

Consider the real America, this is a nation that is a success story that continues to unfold. The great experiment intitiated in 1776 moves on today. Inspite of the liberal MSM and the Democratic Party picture being painted America is looking good. We are winning the war and the economy is growing at the same time. We are living in a safe America, although that may change if the Democrats continue to filibuster on the Patriot Act renewal. Let's look at the perspective of the Federalist Patriot - The Conservative Journal of Record.

----------------------------
Over the course of the past year, this column has focused its analysis onpolicy matters or political malfeasance by both Democrats and Republicans.

We note the latter without apology. Democrats led by Harry Reid, NancyPelosi and Howard Dean have dealt treacherously with our military forcesin the field, never missing an opportunity to rally them with rhetoricabout "a war fought for a lie." Republicans, for their part, haveall too often abandoned their legacy as the party of constitutional government, buying into the notion that Washington holds the cure forall our nation's ills. Indeed, a Republican-controlled Congress recentlypassed a budget that brought the increase in discretionary spending to39 percent over the past three years, with overall spending topping$20,000 per household (constant dollars) for the first time ever,and they had the nerve to proclaim it "pork-free."

President George W. Bush apparently believed them; how else to explainhis signature?
As an advocate for federalism, constitutional constructionism, free-marketcapitalism and social conservatism, The Patriot has a duty to serveas a critical voice in defense of everything that's good and right aboutAmerica, which is to say, our focus is on the prize, while our content tackles those standing in its way. As we approach the end of the year,however, it seems appropriate to take a hiatus from the "critical" partof our mission and focus instead on what too many take for granted—the fact that we have the privilege to take the name "American."

Too many take for granted the fact that we have the privilege to takethe name "American."

Herewith, we invite you to take a moment to consider what is good and right about our great nation.

John Stuart Mill once penned, "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelingwhich thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing whichhe cares more about than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so bythe exertions of better men than himself."

Perhaps the best thing about America in 2005 is those better men, serving on the frontlines of the war against Jihadistan, even as our more"miserable creatures" deride that service here at home.

Amid the political rancor about justifications for Operations EnduringFreedom and Iraqi Freedom, it is worth remembering the words of Admiral Jeremiah Denton: "It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given usfreedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given usfreedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who hasgiven us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag,who allows the protester to burn the flag."

Hundreds of thousands of young Patriots in uniform, sworn to uphold our Constitution, serve in very inhospitable places that we may enjoy the peace and tranquility so many take for granted. Not only have theysuccessfully held the warfront on Jihadi turf, but they are winning stability in the midst of chaos in the Middle East—stability thatis well within the critical national-security interests of the United States. Contrast the joyful faces of millions of Iraqis citizens (nolonger Saddam's slaves) voting for their Parliament yesterday with thoseof American politicos protesting our policy in the region.

With so many of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coastguardsmen serving in danger far from home at Christmas time, we would ask eachof you to enlist your friends and associates to join more than 145,000 other Patriots who have signed our Letter of thanks to America'sArmed Forces.

In tandem with our Armed Forces, we can be grateful for their Commander in Chief, who has both the understanding and the resolve required to keep anation free and secure. In no small part thanks to the Bush Doctrineof Pre-emption, the United States has not suffered a terrorist attack onits own soil in more than four years—a circumstance all but unthinkable in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001. Now, the President's "National Strategy for Victory inIraq" seeks to extend that condition by bringing security, stability andfreedom to the heart of the Middle East.


The nation's economy has logged its tenth straight quarter of growth.

Here at home, the nation's soaring economy just logged its tenth straightquarter of three-percent-or-better growth. Inflation remains in check,and after-tax income, household net worth and total employment are allat record highs. Three consecutive years of substantive tax cuts havemade America stronger and more competitive, and only the most hopelessof partisans can deny their effectiveness.

Equally important to America's economic future, our bloated entitlement programs are finally receiving some much-needed scrutiny. In 2005, the President focused on Social Security reform and then courageously introduced the only possible solution to the problem: privatization. Likewise, steps taken to restructure Medicare on moremarket-oriented principles and private Health Savings Accounts thatoffer an alternative to traditional medical insurance hold promise formore real reform in the future.
Thanks to a growing commitment to free and fair markets, the U.S. is still leading the way in technology and innovation. People from around the world are still coming to American universities, first and foremost, for their education. Despite its pervasive liberalism and political correctness, our system of higher education is still the finest and most accessibleof all: More than a third of Americans possess college degrees, while fewer than a quarter of Europeans do.

The bedrock of our Democracy is the American family, and, fortunately, most of them are still intact.

The American people reign as the most generous in the world, not only donating time and resources in their own neighborhoods, but also in disaster relief across the nation and around the globe. In spite of what we see on the nightly news, the vast majority of Americans are good-hearted, dedicated to their families and faithful to God. As Founding Father Benjamin Rush reminds us, all of what's good and right about America is based upon "Christianity as the strong ground of republicanism." The bedrock of that ground is the American family. Fortunately, most of them are still intact.

Finally, and most essentially, our 229-year-old experiment in democratic republicanism is still the freest, most opportunity-rich place in the history of the world. Indeed, the United States remains a bastion ofthe belief that Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness are divinely bestowed inalienable rights, not "rights" granted by government.
As 2005 draws to a close, then, let each of us remember GeorgeWashington's Farewell charge: "The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations." May this be truer of us all in the year to come.

The Patriot will return to its police analysis and "critical"responsibilities next year, firm in our conviction that America's greatness lies in her heritage and her people, and unabashed in our belief that her best days are yet to come.

Source: FederalistPatriot.us Patriot No. 05-50 (Email)