Today, on the 250th anniversary of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, from Axios’ Jim VandeHei & Mike Allen:
So take three minutes this morning to simply savor what’s special about this country, 250 years into its revolution.
There’s something special about democracy — American democracy — and its ability to evolve and meet the craziest of challenges. We free people, protect people, empower people and enrich people.
Our history points the way. It was ordinary people doing extraordinary things to flee kings and tyranny, birth a democracy, build a great nation, overcome division and adversity, and allow 50 states to form and prosper as one majestic union.
It was students, workers, farmers, teachers, doctors, truckers, businessmen and women, leaders of all stripes who restored sanity, valor, wisdom, hard work and common sense. They did, not duped; worked, not whined; built, not berated; restored, not ridiculed.They focused on U.S., not them.
Just for today, tune out the screams on screens and imagine…
Imagine working together, drawing on our shared patriotism and duty, to instantly and dramatically improve an already great nation to benefit you and your neighbors.
Imagine spending more time fixing stuff smartly than getting sucked into silly, small fights unwittingly.
Imagine an army of competent people storming politics and business and communities to retool things so workers, the middle class and the well-to-do all prosper. Imagine no longer condemning “the rich.” But giving everyone a fair shake at becoming it.
Imagine rural communities revitalized … suburbs soaring … cities sparkling and safe. Imagine the explosive growth to follow and the benefits finally flowing to you with better schools, better health care, affordable houses and high-paying jobs.This is the inspiring thing: This is all achievable now — not in some distant future or galaxy. America has all the ingredients: the talent, the ideas, the drive, the power. And it has you, the very people who prop up this nation, in good times and bad.
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