American dream

“Certainly part of the solution to our American ‘malaise’ is political. A change in the Presidency will reboot the economy and replace failed economic policies with pro-growth incentives and leadership. But that’s down the road. What about today? What can we do to preserve the American dream in our own families and communities, even in the face of personal and societal challenges? To hear the Wall Street Occupiers tell it, the solution is for others to do more. They whine, complain, and demand. Sitting in tents, waiting to be fed, they entertain themselves with self-important conversations, sex, music, and drugs. They can’t even keep the peace or wipe up their own messes. They expect the government to do it — funded by other people’s (taxpayers’) money. That’s not the American spirit that made this country great. Nor will it generate growth and prosperity. Consider another group: our veterans. Even though nearly one in five return from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD or other traumatic injuries that hinder their return to work, they’re not out trashing their country, bemoaning their fates, or telling the government to do more. Instead, they live the American spirit of gratitude, resilience, and hard work.” –columnist Rebecca Hagelin