FREEDOM WATCH

In Defense of American Exceptionalism By HERMAN CAIN from the MARCH 2011 issue of The American Spectator

Unfortunately, some politicians have either forgotten or chosen to ignore the glory of our founding. There is no denying it: America is the greatest country in the world. We are blessed with unparalleled freedoms and boundless prosperity that for generations have inspired an innovative and industrious people. America is exceptional. American Exceptionalism is the standard that our laws reflect the understanding that we are afforded certain God-given rights that can never be taken away. We know that God, not government, bestows upon us these inalienable rights, and because of that, they must not be compromised by the whims of man. This makes us a unique nation, a nation that remains, as President Ronald Reagan once said, "a model and hope to the world." Unfortunately, some politicians have either forgotten or chosen to ignore the glory of our founding. In April 2009, President Obama told a reporter in Strasbourg, France: "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." In saying this, the president implied that American Exceptionalism is nothing terribly special and instead simply chalked it up to the romanticism of patriotism. Americans know better. We see American Exceptionalism not as an empty cry for nationalism, but instead, the blessings of God that keep our nation strong, independent, and free. We see the American story as one of tenacity and triumph, not as one inherently flawed and in need of rewriting. We recognize the times we have stumbled but are assured that it is not due to weakness of our foundation, but instead, the imperfection of mankind. Most importantly, conservatives see America as exceptional because of our shared belief in the dignity and creativity of the individual. We know that it is innately human to work, to risk, and to dream. We understand that these virtues, coupled with the conditions American Exceptionalism provides, allow us to enjoy the economic and social mobility that other countries envy. Liberals lament that such success wasn't guaranteed. At its very core, progressivism rejects American Exceptionalism. Progressives view the Constitution as a roadblock, as they seek an unlimited federal government with more authority than the states and more power than the people. Because they strive for a limitless federal government, they are willing to sacrifice the rugged individualism that has made this nation exceptional in exchange for the collective salvation they believe a vast government provides. And the darling of the progressive movement is, of course, President Obama. "Let me be clear," President Obama: America is the greatest nation on Earth. We are not just any other nation, and we are certainly not analogous to our friends in Europe and elsewhere. Our exceptionalism is forever ingrained in our founding documents that spell out exactly the roles of the federal government in relation to individual rights and states' rights. Truth is eternal, and simply ignoring the truths of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution won't make them go away. And frankly, there are enough Americans, including me, who love it and our country far too much to allow our exceptionalism to be bartered for further expansion of an already out-of-control federal government. Herman Cain is a corporate executive, radio talk show host, and syndicated columnist from Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Cain previously served as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve of Kansas City and as the president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. In January 2011, Mr. Cain established a presidential exploratory committee. From: The American Spectator : In Defense of American Exceptionalism

http://spectator.org/archives/2011/03/03/in-defense-of-american-excepti#%20

Documents annexes 1. Herman Cain (born December 13, 1945) is an American author, business executive, radio host, syndicated columnist, and Tea Party activist from Georgia. Cain grew up in Georgia and graduated from Morehouse College in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics. Cain pursued graduate studies at Purdue University, and graduated with a Master of Science in computer science in 1971while also working full-time for the U.S. Department of the NavyIn 1977, he joined Pillsbury Company where he later became vice president.During the 1980s, his success as a business executive at Burger King prompted Pillsbury Company to appoint him as chairman and CEO of Godfather's Pizza, in which capacity he served from 1986 to 1996. Cain was chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City for periods between1989 and 1996 .In 1995, Cain was appointed by Newt Gingrich to the Kemp Commission, and was a senior economic advisor to the Bob Dole presidential campaign. In May 2011, Cain announced his presidential candidacy. His proposed 9–9–9 tax plan, along with his debate performances, made him the Republican front-runner in fall of 2011, during which he briefly led President Obama in the polls.[ After suspending his campaign, Cain first endorsed Newt Gingrich,and then on May 15, 2012 Cain endorsed Mitt Romney. (adapted from Wikipedia 18/09/2012) 2. The American Spectator is a conservative U.S. monthly magazine covering news and politics, founded in 1967 and still edited by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. and published by the non-profit American Spectator Foundation. (adapted from Wikipedia 18/09/2012) 3. Our early history is the study of European germs developing in an American environment. Too exclusive attention has been paid by institutional students to the Germanic origins, too little to the American factors. The frontier is the line of most rapid and effective Americanization. The wilderness masters the colonist. It finds him a European in dress, industries, tools, modes of travel, and thought. It takes him from the railroad car and puts him in the birch canoe. It strips off the garments of civilization and arrays him in the hunting shirt and the moccasin. […] In short, at the frontier the environment is at first too strong for the man. He must accept the conditions which it furnishes, or perish, and so he fits himself into the Indian clearings and follows the Indian trails. Little by little he transforms the wilderness, but the outcome is not the old Europe, not simply the development of Germanic germs, any more than the first phenomenon was a case of reversion to the Germanic mark. The fact is, that here is a new product that is American. (Frederick Jackson Turner “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” 1893) 4. I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism. I'm enormously proud of my country and its role and history in the world. […] And if you think of our current situation, the United States remains the largest economy in the world. We have unmatched military capability. And I think that we have a core set of values that are enshrined in our Constitution, in our body of law, in our democratic practices, in our belief in free speech and equality, that, though imperfect, are exceptional. Now, the fact that I am very proud of my country and I think that we've got a whole lot to offer the world does not lessen my interest in recognizing the value and wonderful qualities of other countries, or recognizing that we're not always going to be right, or that other people may have good ideas, or that in order for us to work collectively, all parties have to compromise and that includes us. And so I see no contradiction between believing that America has a continued extraordinary role in leading the world towards peace and prosperity and recognizing that that leadership is incumbent, depends on, our ability to create partnerships because we create partnerships because we can't solve these problems alone. Barack Obama Strasbourg April 4, 2009 5. Je ne puis consentir à séparer l’Amérique de l’Europe, malgré l’Océan qui les divise. Je considère le peuple des États-Unis comme la portion du peuple anglais chargée d’exploiter les forêts du Nouveau Monde, tandis que le reste de la nation, pourvu de plus de loisirs et moins préoccupé des soins matériels de la vie, peut se livrer à la

pensée et développer en tous sens l’esprit humain. La situation des Américains est donc entièrement exceptionnelle, et il est à croire qu’aucun peuple démocratique n’y sera jamais placé. Leur origine toute puritaine, leurs habitudes uniquement commerciales, le pays même qu’ils habitent et qui semble détourner leur intelligence de l’étude des sciences, des lettres et des arts ; le voisinage de l’Europe, qui leur permet de ne point les étudier sans retomber dans la barbarie ; mille causes particulières, dont je n’ai pu faire connaître que les principales, ont dû concentrer d’une manière singulière l’esprit américain dans le soin des choses purement matérielles. Les passions, les besoins, l’éducation, les circonstances, tout semble, en effet, concourir pour pencher l’habitant des États-Unis vers la terre. La religion seule lui fait, de temps en temps, lever des regards passagers et distraits vers le ciel. Alexis de Tocqueville De la démocratie en Amérique Tome II Première partie : Influence de la démocratie sur le mouvement intellectuel aux États-Unis1840