FOCUS | Obama and Nixon: A Historical Perspective

Obama Denies Role in Government

FOCUS | Dissecting Bob Woodward's Comparison of Benghazi to Watergate

Genetically Modified Democracy

Philly's Youth Are Taking Charge of Their Future

Blow begins: "Is America exceptional among nations? Are we, as a country and a people and a culture, set apart and better than others? Are we, indeed, the 'shining city upon a hill' that Ronald Reagan described? Are we 'chosen by God and commissioned by history to be a model to the world' as George W. Bush said?"

Reagan leaves the White House on the last day of his administration, 01/20/89. (photo: Bettmann/CORBIS)

Decline of American Exceptionalism

By Charles M. Blow, The New York Times

19 November 11

Is America exceptional among nations? Are we, as a country and a people and a culture, set apart and better than others? Are we, indeed, the "shining city upon a hill" that Ronald Reagan described? Are we "chosen by God and commissioned by history to be a model to the world" as George W. Bush said?

This year, for the first time, most Americans did not say yes.

According to a report issued on Thursday by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, when Americans were asked if they agreed with the statement "our people are not perfect but our culture is superior to others," only 49 percent agreed. That's down from 60 percent in 2002, the first time that Pew asked the question.

Comments

We are concerned about a recent drift towards vitriol in the RSN Reader comments section. There is a fine line between moderation and censorship. No one likes a harsh or confrontational forum atmosphere. At the same time everyone wants to be able to express themselves freely. We'll start by encouraging good judgment. If that doesn't work we'll have to ramp up the moderation.

General guidelines: Avoid personal attacks on other forum members; Avoid remarks that are ethnically derogatory; Do not advocate violence, or any illegal activity.

Remember that making the world better begins with responsible action.

- The RSN Team

+84 # MainStreetMentor 2011-11-19 17:41

Patriotism and pride often walk hand in hand. But the divisiveness, planned, orchestrated and implemented over an eight-year period by the Karl Rove’s and the Bush/Cheney administration’ s membership, formed a wedge not only between our nations citizens, but also between patriotism and pride. They tried to establish a nation of “blue versus red”, tried to make a populace of “we versus them”. Now, patriotism is seen as anyone who stands up against the malfeasance of Wall Street and the greed of corporations, who are the “enemy within”. But pride has weakened because of the ethical lapses and insatiable greed of those internal enemies, and doesn’t shine as brightly as once it did. The Occupy Movement is engaged in trying to remove the tarnish and is actively working to bring back the brilliance. They will succeed … and once again in America, patriotism and pride will again hold hands.

+40 # rsnfan 2011-11-19 20:55

I have had it with our government. I do believe we are an industrial war nation and no life is considered sacred.
Right now it is difficult to find a government official that
has any sense of morals and that can not be bought.
I think the governing bodies in this country have sold out to the devil and I have no pride in this country at all.

+47 # Ken Hall 2011-11-20 07:21

Let's remember that it was and is the US electorate that put the members of those governing bodies in place. I've watched with dismay the trajectory of politics since RR was elected to office with his "feel good" platform. Carter was correct about the US malaise, about the US taking a wrong turn, but nobody wanted to listen. He was the last pres who actually cared about the well-being of the common man. US exceptionalism was always an illusion, US hubris is not.

+34 # gentle 2011-11-20 07:58

Jimmy will eventually be seen as the greatest president in modern times. How many ex presidents have worked in projects like Habitat For Humanity?

+16 # doneasley 2011-11-20 17:20

I never miss an opportunity to hear Jimmy Carter speak. He's a great and humble man. America could be exceptional again if government showed concern for its people as Mr. Carter did. I happen to be watching Grover Norquist on 60 Minutes as I write this reply. He's a cancer in our midst. As long as the GOP follows his "no taxes" pledge, this country will go to hell in a hand basket - or maybe in Grover's "bathtub".

After "provide for the common defense", the very next phrase in the Preamble to the Constitution says "promote the general welfare", which to me means we MUST be concerned about the well being of our fellow man in order to "form a more perfect Union", "establish justice", "insure domestic tranquility", and "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity". The framers of the Constitution were extremely prescient when they wrote these words as a preface to our great Constitution.

But powerful individuals take what they want from it and use it to divide and conquer. For example, the 2nd Amendment gives us the right to bear arms in SUPPORT of our government, not AGAINST it as NRA proponents would have you believe. Who ever heard of a candidate for the U.S. Senate threatening "2nd Amendment remedies"? Outrageous! Or our Supreme Court judging corporations to be people. Where the HELL are we headed???

+3 # Obwon 2011-11-21 03:47

We listened to media and the pundits and we were outraged when they were. Then things changed and the media and the pundits were captured and the people were misinformed. Good decisions could no longer be made because of it. People went along to get along, just as our elected official did. Soon matters came to a head, bad decision upon bad decision ruined the government, while lies and deceit covered it up. But soon there would come a time when the messes could no longer be covered up and therefore an explanation was required.

When the public is misinformed, you can explain failures in anyway you like, since the people cannot possibly figure out the truth. If you wrap the explanation in the flag and the faith, then the facts don't have to add up either.

OWS knows that the people are so misinformed that there is no way to reach them with an agenda or issues, that cannot be further undone. So, they point to the problems and challenge all to ask "What caused this?". While most of the facts are hidden away under "top secret" security stamps, the answers to the question of what went wrong, cannot be hidden. But, it will take some time for a vast majority of people to figure it out.

Eventually we will all wind up on the same page. Because truth has a way of outing itself. Then the healing will begin.

+5 # universlman 2011-11-19 21:49

we are hoping for a double hump resurgence

+82 # HarryP 2011-11-19 21:50

It wold be one thing if the idea of American exceptionalism were exceptional. Every powerful nation had made the same claim. The Germans were sure of "Gott mit uns;" Moscow, the Third Rome, and a fourth there shall never be, is a variety of that same theme. The French "mission civilisatrice" suggests there is but one way to become civilized, and then fumed that the Vietnamese never understood what had been done for them; the Chinese still insist that they represent the "Central Kingdom:" the Japanese, descendants of the sun goddess, had their definition of exceptionalism. And so its goes. Only 800 letters left: every religion makes that claim: the Jews, are God's chosen, no wait, it's the Christians (but which brand?), the Muslims have put in their claim. The time will come, I expect, when Americans will see themselves as citizens of the world, if only for the reason that the world's civilizations have washed up on it shores, the reason why today only half of its citizens accept what has been drilled into their heads since took their first steps and first listened to their elders. It'll be a humbling experience when Americans stop worshipping the Puritans' "city on the hill" and begin to wonder how that vision took a hold of Americans to begin with.

+13 # Bill Clements 2011-11-20 17:51

Wow! I really think you've nailed it! It's time, as you say, for Americans to let go of this notion that they are exceptional among nations and grasp a wiser (and far more truthful) reality: that we are all of us, human beings on this planet and "citizens of the world." Are we, as Americans, any different than anyone else on this planet who desires happiness and wishes to avoid pain and suffering? Do we hold the answer, as a nation, to these fundamental notions of happiness and suffering? Obviously not.

Exceptionalism is a kind of childish narcissism. I look forward to the day when we grow up as a nation.

+4 # Capn Canard 2011-11-21 06:28

HarryP, good comment. This American Exceptionalism is nothing more than a fairy tale. Reagan-esque porn: THE CITY ON THE HILL? just pornographic fantasy... part of what I like to call Masturbation Nation... short-term, instant gratification without a commitment to make it tangible.

+33 # Magars 2011-11-19 22:30

Sorry,but is not pessimism.it's a reality,in a nation where members of Army and intelligence agency tortured people in illegal jails overseas,where people get sentenced to death without enough evidence, where whistle-blowers get fired or arrested because they decide to tell the truth,where the media is controlled by corporations,wh ere the education continues declining,and.. .etc.etc.When more than 50% reacted to the question about the idea of American exceptionalism, they were having in mind the lack of respect that the world has for our nation after decades of
abuse and arrogance.Do you believe that OWS is a sign of pessimism?! I don't think so. It is a message about something new and better.

+43 # X Dane 2011-11-19 23:35

I think it is time for our country to grow up. Being a little less conceited would be refreshing too. America is an exiting beautiful country with so many wonderful talented and caring people. But we are not God's chosen people, and we do not need to be.

I love America. I came here from a truly fine country, more than 50 years ago. Denmark is also a wonderful country. I am glad I grew up there, but I CHOSE to live here.

I think it would be educational for many Americans to see more of the world. There are many beautiful countries and people you will enjoy getting to know better.

I am frankly amazed at how little many people know about the rest of the world.
Having grown up in another country widens your horizon indeed, and so does travel.

There is so much whopty do about America being exceptional. I can tell you the Scandinavians are extremely proud of their countries too, and they have plenty to be proud of, but I doubt they think that they are exceptional.

I think that is a special Jewish and American feeling, being exceptional, and God's chosen people.

+3 # mangel 2011-11-20 10:10

I once that the American dream is being lived in Denmark.

+38 # speedboy 2011-11-20 00:02

The Teaparty is like the guy who never spends anything on home improvement, and then complains about the shack in which he lives!

+3 # lincolnimp 2011-11-20 10:08

I just came back from running around to share this comment. Of all the things I've read in recent months, this resonates with me! In fact, I believe you can go so far as to substitute "The Republican Party" for "The Teaparty" and still have it resonate with me. Thank you, Speedboy, for making my day.

+28 # frdboesl 2011-11-20 00:06

We are an embarrassment of what we were before Reagan lied his way into the Presidency. A union president that destroyed what he said he supported!! The start of a lot of evil he created, like the SOA...

+25 # seeuingoa 2011-11-20 01:34

Exceptional?

Yes!

Exceptionally immature.

+7 # Carolyn 2011-11-20 01:39

World War 111 is in the making. Obama has established the presence of the American military in the Pacific. America is looking like a Police State. The bottom line is money.
What is different now is that civilization has a global outreach. there's nowhere to go in order to escape. The contries in the Pacific area have active space programs. The space programs that put America on the moon, during JFK'a presidency, have been removed by Obama. what is changing in America is the level of consciousness. Because the world is going global, those who are alive in the years to come will understand that the only good is the greater good. each of us is here to serve the whole

+11 # JCM 2011-11-20 06:05

Space programs weren't removed by Obama. It was/is lack of money.

+20 # futhark 2011-11-20 03:00

Back in the 1960s there was a program on public television called "Probe". The theme music was "Mars" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets". Anyway, the college professor historian who presented the lectures once explained how large continental nations like Russia, China, and the United States tended to view themselves as the saviors of civilization, largely through lack of meaningful contact with other cultures. That made sense to me then as an early teen and makes sense to me now. We see it in people's political attitudes vs. geography. The coasts of the United States, where most immigrant populations are found, have people that are generally more tolerant and liberal than can be found in the Middle West and Middle South (my extended family are mostly Texans).

Request any more information on the "Probe" program. I would like to read some of the writings of the presenter.

+21 # Glen 2011-11-20 04:54

..."My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair! - Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, the lone and level sands stretch far away."

Harry said it nicely, as well. The arrogance of human beings is historical and forever.

+22 # turtleislander 2011-11-20 05:01

Patriotism? I was born in New Jersey. It ends there. I do not owe blind allegiance to the spot on the planet where I happened to be born. I do remember the "great prosperity" and I remember how Vietnam and the series of arrogant misadventures that followed, including Reaganomics, have progressively brought the US down. My entire adult life I bear witness to a sawtooth pattern of up and down that still slopes downward.
On a hopeful note, I believe that Britain, the most recent exceptional power, seems a happier and more progressive place than history shows it prior to WWI and II. America could well be a much happier and prosperous place if war ceases to be our main industry, and the clinically disordered greed folks are given treatment rather than admiration.

-46 # RLF 2011-11-20 05:24

What crap. I can't believe this piece of crap is on RSN!

+26 # JCM 2011-11-20 06:07

Your inability to face reality is part of our problem.

0 # mangel 2011-11-20 10:11

Explain yourself!

+7 # Bruce Gruber 2011-11-20 11:58

There is none so blind as he who will not see ... nor even to allow his eyes to open and let in the light. Had our "founding" negotiators not spoken truth to self-righteous power, we would still be bowing to the queen. Had not our citizenry succumbed to entreaties regarding the hypocrisy of our self indulgent "exceptionalism " we would not have women and minorities respected as part of "all men". Learn, RLF, as America sometimes still tries to do - in search of understanding instead of blame, respect instead of condemnation, evolution of "a more perfect union" rather that obeisance to its imperfections out of fear of change.

0 # phrixus 2011-11-21 05:44

Can you be more specific? LOL!

+25 # Rara Avis 2011-11-20 05:36

The United States is exceptional in its making the principle of "all men are created equal" central to its very being. The idea that government exists with the consent of the governed is also something we have led on over the years.

The problem is that the nation's policies and leaders are not acting in accord with these principles at all. And, of course Americans are no better as human beings than any other people on the Earth. It is our struggle to uplift these great principles that has rightly made us different. But abandoning them and becoming an imperial power and elevating the power of corporate America at home have come at great cost. We can go back and become champions of these great ideas once again. Right now we are just huge hypocrites.

+15 # JCM 2011-11-20 06:15

Our democracy as written in the constitution is a beautiful form of government that is one of the best if not the best in the world. But one thing the founding fathers didn't protect us from was the corruption that can be created from great wealth. Lobbying and corporate contributions have taken our democracy out of our hands. It is very unlikely this will ever change with the present Supreme Court (one good reason never to vote Republican) and the addiction congress has to the money that finances their elections. Truth in political advertizing or lack there of is another drag on our democracy but is part of free speech and might be difficult to regulate. Our democracy is based on the people and if there were an amendment to somehow restrict corporate influence, prop up truth in political advertizing and make the whole political process, of the people, for the people, by the people, then we would have the system of government that we all want and what the founding fathers tried to create. At this point I wouldn’t call this a political reality but it is a goal worth pursuing as a country. Money is the root of what is wrong with our present government. We must do something about it.

+6 # wantrealdemocracy 2011-11-20 11:20

It is not enough to say "never vote Republican". There is no 'lesser evil', Democrats and Republicans are equal in taking bribes to finance their elections.
No improvement in our government can be made until we stop voting for the two corporate parties that have been in control of our government for the last hundred years. You know our current government is corrupt. Knowing that, you must not vote for the re election of ANYONE in Congress now. Kick out the corrupt and the first task of the new Congress should be to hold a Constitutional Convention to rewrite our Constitution and make our government truly one of the people, by the people and for the people by clearly stating that a corporation IS NOT A PERSON.

+10 # Pufferly 2011-11-20 07:08

Part of the problem is that we Americans don't seem to know the difference between patriotism and nationalism. Nationalism: Think Hitler/Germany in the 1930s, which we are trying to mimic. We have now defined patriotism as our willingness to send Other People's Expendable Children (OPEC) to fight and die in exotic lands for trivial reasons (read corporate profits). We are not exceptional, just militarily strong. Put some blame on us voters. Pax Americana is coming to an end.

+1 # MHAS 2011-11-20 08:20

First of all, the questions asked are stupid. Are we a "superior culture?" What does that mean? Are we the "leading country in the world?" Again, what does that mean? Are we the leading bully? Time and time again I read polls whose questions are framed in such a way that no thoughtful person could give an answer.

+9 # Ken Hall 2011-11-20 10:22

Yes, the concept is silly, but it has been used as a theme by US leaders to hoodwink the public, deflect attention from what is really going on, and to gloss over the flouting of international law. Unfortunately it has also been accepted unthinkingly by much of the US public. As such it is an idea that has real consequences and has to be dealt with.

+1 # MHAS 2011-11-21 07:59

I agree. I understand that but the questions are so vague that anyone can take the results and construe them to mean whatever suits them. Is the respondent who says "no" to both an even handed, well educated or well traveled "internationali st," a serious critic of American culture and foreign policy,
or a right winger who pines away from the good ole days before the hippies, feminists, blacks, and now Hispanic immigrants, wrecked the place? Saying "yes" seems more likely to indicate an embrace of "American exceptionalism" but it could mean "I know we have injected our culture into every country (corporations, fast food, etc) and have 20 times the military arsenal of the rest of the world combined and that we throw our weight around. So we are superior as in most dominant." This writer seems to assume anyone who says "no" must be saddened by it. That this indicates a feeling that we are no longer special. Maybe it indicates we are less arrogant and have more respect for and awareness of others but still cherish our Bill of Rights. But here's my point, interpretation tells you as much about the interpreter as the results do about the respondents. Bad questions.

+4 # MHAS 2011-11-20 08:33

To follow up on my earlier comment...I would have answered "no" to both of questions I quoted, but my point was, there is nothing in the framing of the questions that permits the respondent to indicate the thought behind their answers.

+12 # humanmancalvin 2011-11-20 08:33

This country has always been one of illusion. While it was the land of milk & honey for white men in its infancy, it sure wasn't for 2nd class women & it meant slavery for African men & death for red men. White Americans wanted Texas & California which happened to be owned by Mexico, no problem, Remember the Alamo & other patriotic war chants. Smoke & mirrors. Thanksgiving soon, or as my Pequot Grandmother aptly coined it: Decimation of a Race Of People Day. Another Smallpox infested blanket for you to go with that liquor for you? Illusion. The Gulf of Tonkin resolution: N. Vietnamese patrol boats attack American war ships thus initiating President Johnson's long, murderous Vietnam war. Of course completely fabricated, as phony a story as Remember the Maine whose boiler blew up off the coast of Cuba but became the war cry & excuse for yet another death dealing excursion. Two way mirrors. Leave us not forget the weapons of Mass Destruction Sadam Hussien had hiding in Iraq, as was the reasoning Bush Jr. invaded this mid-east country. The deaths & injuries produced by this tragic war have been staggering, but the mental anguish suffered will continue to be a source of continued agony for a lifetime to come. Illusions, absolute, pure unadulterated illusions.

+11 # Ajijico 2011-11-20 09:02

I'm afraid the US is an egotistical bully in the worldwide neighborhood. We had one of those in our little neighborhood when I was a kid. The rest of us hated him and eventually would have nothing to do with him. He and his family finally moved away. We need to renounce this crazy idea of American exceptionalism and become a mainstream member of the world neighborhood or we'll find ourselves very much alone.

+7 # lincolnimp 2011-11-20 10:21

Yes, and what is becoming more and more pronounced is the "trickledown" influence this bullyism is having on the regions, states, cities and neighborhoods. Every day, someone in my group of friends and family comments on how they don't understand why we are interested in the plight of "other" people. I believe this mental set, more than any other single symptom of the "crash" means that our wonderful experiment in democracy is doomed.

-4 # anarchteacher 2011-11-20 09:18

Always, everywhere it is the State. Glorify, exalt the State. As one observer of the 1930s pointed out, “All within the State, nothing outside the State, nothing against the State.” The State is the sum total of our national character and substance as a people. ”It is the State which educates its citizens in civic virtue, gives them a consciousness of their mission and welds them into unity,” said this same observer, one Benito Mussolini. Charles Blow's mantra on the decline of American Exceptionalism is indistinguishab le from that put forth by neocons David Brooks and Bill Kristol in the 1990s. Later joined by John McCain, Newt Gingrich, Robert Kagan, Max Boot, they looked to Teddy Roosevelt's "New Nationalism" as the exemplar for a revitalized, renewed national state under a decisive president leading an imperial American hegemony in domination of the world. Blow and progressives such as Rachel Maddow look to the other Roosevelt and his fascist New Deal as their exemplar to rebuild, revitalize the state's infrastructure, suzerainty, and propaganda indoctrination of the young. Under the deceptive guise of “investment,” they call for more confiscatory plundering of the poor and middle classes, more unsustainable spending and debt by vulgar Keynesian fiscal and monetary policies, to enrich the corporatist elite's welfare-warfare state enabled by the Federal Reserve.

+1 # Capn Canard 2011-11-21 06:46

anarchteacher, I disagree and agree. The State is the problem but you need to get to the heart of what is the driver of State and that is money and wealth and all of that is based on scarcity. Those are the things to be feared. The state is only the strong arm of Wealth. To limit Wealth you will need either redistribution or complete elimination of the monetary system. Q)Which is more likely to work and actually be successful? Personally, I tend to agree more with traditional FDR liberalism rather than the Libertarian hands off NIMBY I got mine you get yours free for all. Ideally I would rather see all currency evaporate and a major paradigm shift to a qualitative system, where value is redefined as being that which is beneficial and useful rather than being based on solely on availability, scarcity. But we certainly do need to limit state control with direct democracy, localized neighborhood control, dismantle the centralized authority.

0 # anarchteacher 2011-11-21 18:40

Thanks for the thoughtful and engaging response. Due to the limited space given here for addressing issues in detail, I would suggest that you Google two articles of mine which specifically focus upon key points you raised concerning the nature of the State and FDR:

Hidden History: Where Organized Crime and Government Meet

Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal: An Annotated Bibliographic Guide

+12 # X Dane 2011-11-20 10:03

Well MJH, I think the question was asked because the right wing is constantly touting "our exceptionalism" they keep clinging to the notion that we are the best the greatest the smartest, contrary to the truth. They insist on LIVING IN THE PAST, and frankly, it's killing us.

We WERE the smatest a few years ago with the most young people graduating from college.
Now we are way down the list, and we are far, far behind in math and science, which we were very, very god at, also reserch and development which we pretty much excelled in, is now happeneng in China, India and Brazil because the republicans constantly cut the funding for it and for education as a whole.

One more BIG reson the question is asked, is that Obama is a mature person. He keeps pointing out what we MUST do in order to AT LEAST keep up with the three countries I mentioned earlier, (you can add the Nordic countries too)

So the right wing concludes: that Obama does not think we are exceptional, and he MUST be PUNISHED for that.

They overlook the very inconvenient truth, that he is working hard and motivating our youth to excell.
While they (The right) are cutting, cutting education.

+6 # Karlus58 2011-11-20 10:17

Our growth as a nation of civil, humane individuals has been sabotaged by an insidious, downright evil. Its emergence is epitomized by the actions of those on Wall Street as well as our body politic throughout this land. Specifically, "deep thinkers" such as in our Supreme Court....provid ing dubious protections to innate bodies claimed to be living persons and whose only purpose is to extract from the common good. It is a fight against good and evil. I suppose, one that's been fought throughout the worlds history replete with its rise and falls. I do have great optimism today however, of our peoples resolve in changing the tide. I feel it.

+4 # Annette Saint John Lawrence 2011-11-20 14:23

Early in the first term of the Cheny/Bush administration (let's
just call it what it was), I found myself hearing inside "...And the First Shall Be The Last". Each day proved to be on course with that. Now I see the perfection. Way to long have
people been oblivious and a potentially fatal disease took over while the people slept. Now more and more have been been jarred by a Rude Awakening. The pebbles that were in their shoes have evolved to rocks. The darkness of corruption, greed, etc, is surfacing all that has been hidden. The Pus will be drained and an awake and informed people will Create the 'New Age". Lest we forget or maybe never looked at it this way but we created the society we have by turning a blind eye, negative thinking and so on. Good news...we take all that fertilizer and grow something
exquisite. I can see the world in which there is a redistribution of the wealth, that people will live in harmony, new ways to grow our food that does not leach every last bit of nutrition from our soil and Love for one another. Yes a true "he's not heavy, he's my brother. You need not wait, you can start Imaging that in right now. Remember the song "Imagine"? See yourself there. Manifest it by your thinking. It is true that Energy Follows Thought. Create wisely my friends.

+1 # reiverpacific 2011-11-20 14:24

This is why I now refer to the country as the"Fragmented States" of America -and it's the old "Divide and Conquer" tactics that were practiced on the American Indians (or more accurately "Dende", "The People" or "Human Beings"), the South (not that I'm a Dixie-lover) and any opposing force to the status-quo. Now it's being practiced on it's own citizens AND the environment BEGINNING with Reagan in the modern era and perpetrated by those who shout "Patriotism, Freedom", "We're Special" (a.k.a., "The rules and conventions don't apply to us")" loudest and would whip any freedom remaining in the corporate state away from all but their own elite.
But then you all know that, right?
Re "RLF": (I hope) that this person means Reagan is a "Piece of crap" and undeserving of mention -but I'm only assuming, and just hope that this interpretation is "as assumed". Be nice to have a clarification one way or another (we don't all have agree all the time -how boring- but please enlighten us in a few well-chosen words which make y'r point obvious).

+5 # bigkahuna671 2011-11-20 16:15

Jingoism by any name is ridiculous. Americans don't appreciate it in people of other countries, so why should we tie ourselves to this type of chest-thumping, false patriotism? Reagan was a fraud, playing a role that was scripted for him, and enough people have bought into his supposed greatness to now have him placed on a pedestal among our pantheon of great Presidents. This is totally undeserved because the Soviet Union was already buckling under the weight of its military/politi cal complex and the fall of the Soviet Union was inevitable. By spending like a madman to supposedly accelerate that fall, he led our nation to the economic precipice and a recession that was blamed on Bush-41. His elimination of restraints on Big Business has been a major factor in the current economic debacle. It's not all Dubya's fault, just as the 1989-93 recession wasn''t Bush-41's. We have the potential to be great, but we have to accept that you have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. That's the problem with our jingoistic GOP and the military/indust rial complex. They just let their mouths engage while their brains are turned off. A great nation, of course! An exceptional nation, not now, but if we're willing to lead with compassion, modeling the positive attributes of exceptionalism, MOST DEFINITELY!

+2 # X Dane 2011-11-20 22:21

bigkahuna, I understand you want to be fair to W, but he does not deserve it. First he gave a huge tax-cut to the wealthiest. Then his hubris, and his guts told him to start TWO wars and a very expensive medical program, and he dumped all the COST on our CHILDREN and GRANDCHILDREN.

LIke a true republican, he refused to raise taxes, I bet he knew , that people would have been against the wars, if they had honestly been paid for by the raising of taxes.

I remember how cocky he was after the o4 election. He told us that he had a mandate,.... and he was going to spend it,..... and then he tried to privatize SS. Good God if he had succeded our siniors would have been totally viped out.
No kahuna, he sure does not deserve our forgiveness. I am sure millions of Iraqis agree with me.

0 # bigkahuna671 2011-11-21 18:09

X Dane (hey, I'm Danish, too) - I'm not in any way forgiving Dubya. Hell, no, no, no!! My point was Ronnie started it and he was guilty for eliminating so many of the restraints on Big Biz (Clinton didn't help there, either). Dubya has a major Mea Culpa for HIS two wars, the Prescription mandate which denies the govt. the right to bargain for better prices...of course, Walmaart can, but then they pay lots of money to lots of crooked pols, mostly Republifascists . So if you've confused my remarks and thought I was letting Dubya off the hook, no, I wasn't. He was and is responsible for so many crimes. He should be tried, along with his cronies, for the violations of international laws regarding use of torture. But the recession is the fault of two men, Reagan for his corrupt use of Federal power to enrich the wealthy while smiling at us the whole time, and Dubya for being so stupid as to allow Dick Cheney to abuse the American AND Iraqi people and their rights. Reagan spent us into the first whole, Dubya dug it deeper, but the hole had already been started. As for Mt Rushmore for Reagan, I wouldn't build a doghouse in his honor. For Dubya, I'd build a 4-holer, just like we used to use in Vietnam...that is, if one was available. Semper Fi and go Big Red!

+2 # HerbR 2011-11-20 19:37

The evidence for America Exceptionalism is non-existent. The boast of office-seeking politicians and office-holders serve only to distract us from the serious communal tasks they chose to overlook and ignore or, worse yet, to aggravate by claiming knowledge they do not possess.
The plagiarism of a 17th Century Sermon does not create "a City on a Hill". Faux religiosity is a prime tool of deception; it debases popular understanding and often hides the most sinister of motives. So one must be on guard and pay the closest attention to misleading claims of all kinds, especially that of American Exceptionalism.

+1 # carioca 2011-11-21 05:12

I'm amazed anyone ever felt America was better than any other country EVER. What a jingoistic way to view the world.

+3 # phrixus 2011-11-21 05:15

Sadly enough, America has truly been exceptional in her ability and willingness to make war. One reader applied the term "industrial war nation." How unfortunately true.
Most disgusting is the fact that America now starts wars for purposes of monetary and other resource gains rather than self-defense. Ironically we don't win wars anymore - we perpetuate them in order to feed defense contractors, corporations and our corrupt politicians while killing and maiming our citizens and innocents abroad. American is now as corrupt as any third-world banana republic. We kill women and children with drones, assassinate American citizens without due process, incarcerate known innocents without trial (including American whistle-blowers ) and commit acts of torture. And all for money. American ideals have been put to death up against the walls of the corporate courtyards. What a pity...

+2 # phrixus 2011-11-21 05:20

One final thought: I recommend we change "Department of Defense" back to "Department of War." Much more accurate.

+2 # tuandon 2011-11-21 05:48

It's about time we stopped patting ourselves on the back and woke up to the fact that we are but one nation among 200, with no special mandate from God or anyone else, to take what we want when we want, to force others to bend to our will, or to parade about congratulating ourselves for our perfection.

0 # Dawn Castle 2011-11-21 06:33

I have been commenting for many years that we should not teach our children that we are the best country in the world because this leads them to think that its' already done and nothing left for them to accomplish. we need to teach them that they can help make it be the best country in the world.

0 # ecbogle 2011-11-21 08:16

The U. S. had an exceptional advantage: a whole continent, sparsely inhabited by persons technologically far behind the European settlers who came here. "The American Dream" lasted as long as the frontier did. Now, with global trade, education, communications, and over-population , we have lost our advantage. Why should people in the Orient, the Mid-East, Africa eventually, be content to let the US live in relative luxury (as they see portrayed on tv or films every day)? Wealth will eventually average out; let's hope that the world will not have been destroyed in the process by war or by unsound usage of the world's natural resources.

+3 # Artemis 2011-11-21 12:18

Exceptionalism cannot be named or defined in terms of a country. Every country is exceptional. A country can be exceptional without boasting about it and making it official. All the hands on the heart and flag-waving is really pretty creepy unless you grow up with it and consider it just normal. It is quite unnecessary and related to authoritarian regimes rather than free democracies. Anyone should be able to admire or criticize their country. Overdone nationalism is a plague we need to get rid of.

+1 # bigkahuna671 2011-11-21 19:17

Artemis, I totally agree. I'm a high school teacher and coach and have been at it for 40 years. I tell my kids they don't need to run around bragging about themselves. If you're good, other people will spread the message for you. If you have to remind people how great you are, you AREN'T! Simple as that, you AREN'T!!!

0 # doneasley 2011-11-22 14:11

I also agree, Artemis. There are those who, in their nationalistic, racial and religious fanaticism, have forced President Obama to leave his church; espouse his Christianity and renounce any Muslim ties; attend a local CHRISTIAN church every now and then; show his real birth certificate (still under review); wear the flag lapel pin; and proclaim American exceptionalism far and wide.

There are those "experts" on such things, who still don't believe our president is an American citizen. (A Soviet immigrant woman, Orly Taitz, who became a U.S. citizen in 1992, is leading the charge in challenging our president's citizenship). Of course America could not be exceptional with a black man as its leader ("We want our country back."). He has to be purged from our midst, and replaced with an "acceptable" white, Christian, nationalistic leader such as Gingrich, or Perry or Santorum or Paul or Bachmann. OOps! I made a mistake, these fanatics won't accept a woman either. Cain? No - of course not!!! Notice I didn't include Mitt or Huntsman in the crowd - they're both Mormons who won't go very far with these purists. And for all their talk about judeo-christian ity and their unbridled support for Israel, the Rabid Right hate Jews too.

Where were we now before I got so carried away? Oh, yeah, we're exceptional! Riiiight...

Refresh comments list
RSS feed for comments to this post

THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community.

Name:	*
Username:	*
E-mail:	*
Password:	*
Confirm password:	*
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.