Pete Kaliner

Pete Kaliner

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Are you proud to be American?

What becomes of a society when the population is ashamed of that society?

The College Fix surveyed 1,000 students and found... well...

The vast majority (74%) of Republican college students, compared to a small number of Democratic college students (8%), and less than one-third of independents (30%), said they are very proud to be an American.
On the flip side, 2 percent of Republican college students, compared to 22 percent of Democratic college students, and 11 percent of independents, say they are not at all proud to be an American.

It's important to point out that the cumulative totals present a more encouraging picture than this topline. For example, about 3 out of 4 Democrats say they are "very proud" (8%), "moderately proud" (33%), and "only a little proud" (36%). Granted, that last number is not exactly a ringing endorsement of our nation... but it's a sign that all is not lost.

Unfortunately, this is part of a trend.

Here's the Gallup results from July:

U.S. adults' extreme pride in being American has been steadily weakening in recent years, and the current reading, from a June 3-16 Gallup poll, marks the lowest point to date. However, the latest two-percentage-point decline from last year's 47% is not a statistically significant change.
The highest readings on the measure, 69% and 70%, were between 2002 and 2004, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when the American public expressed high levels of patriotism and rallied around the U.S. government. Yet, since the start of George W. Bush's second presidential term in 2005, fewer than 60% of Americans have expressed extreme pride in being American.

Gallup reports Republicans are pretty consistent in remaining extremely proud of their country: "Even when Barack Obama was in office, Republicans' extreme pride never fell below 68%."

Democrats' views fluctuate much more - seemingly based on the occupant of the White House. But even when Obama was president, Democrats' views lagged behind Republicans'. This indicates that an awful lot of them are simply dissatisfied with the nation in which they live.

But maybe that's the thing that unites us.

Phillip Caputo wrote in The Longest Road:

Carol Springer, a compact blonde who raises cattle and horses on 470 acres. The farm has been in her family for seven generations.
As we sat in her kitchen sipping lemonade, she gave me her perspective on what puts the unum in our national motto, E pluribus unum: “The glue is a belief that’s not clearly defined: that we have more in common than not, that we’re more alike than we’re different. I’m not sure it’s true, but the important thing is that we believe it is.”
****
A star remains a star because of the “dynamic disequilibrium” between its gravity, which pulls it inward, and nuclear fusion, which sends its matter flying outward. If there is too much of one or the other, it either collapses in on itself or blows apart.
Almost from its birth, America has been pulled in the direction of maximum individual liberty by Thomas Jefferson’s idea that the government that governs least governs best, and in the opposite direction by Alexander Hamilton’s belief in centralized power. It is the perpetual but equal conflict between these extremes that generates the binding force, I said. Too much Jefferson could lead to anarchy, too much Hamilton to tyranny.
Erica and Jef found that a little weird and abstract, so I asked for Erica’s thoughts on what united Americans, and she nailed it.
“It’s hope,” she said. “Isn’t that what it’s always been?”

I think it's time for some Lee....

Pete's Prep: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019

  • From the Asheville Citizen-Times: "Ellen Frost worked with former Buncombe manager Wanda Greene on "an undisclosed agreement" to direct $20,000 of county funding to a high school project — a move that would have required full commissioner approval but never was sought by the duo, federal prosecutors alleged in court documents."
  • John Hood from the John Locke Foundation: "A few days ago, WalletHub released the 2019 version of the same study. North Carolina ranked 28th in the country in teacher-friendliness. Moreover, in the WalletHub category “Opportunity and Competition,” which includes measures of teacher pay and benefits, North Carolina ranked 5th. Are those same Democrats and progressives touting this year’s results? Of course not. The results are politically inconvenient."
  • From NC Civitas: NC Democratic lawmakers still won't say where they were when the budget veto override vote was taken.
  • The Wall Street Journal: What's up with all the dudes wearing head scarves?


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