November 25, 2009 | By Amanda Reinecker
Seven things we can be thankful for
As we gather with family and friends to celebrate our blessings at Thanksgiving, we should remember how fortunate we Americans are to live in a free and just nation.
America was founded upon sound conservative principles grounded firmly in human nature and not in radical idealism. And today, we see that these principles, though under attack from the Left, are still very much alive. As Heritage Foundation scholar Matthew Spalding explained in 2003, Thanksgiving maintains the tradition of the American Founding and affirms that “while we are committed to upholding religious liberty, we remain one nation under God.”
So, despite these tough times, conservatives and Americans have much to be thankful for:
- The United States Constitution. The single most important and timeless document of our nation’s Founding, the U.S. Constitution lays the framework for a government that protects the natural and unalienable rights of every American. The Constitution, the key to our greatness and the bulwark of our liberties, offers an antidote to the Left’s radicalism. That’s why The Heritage Foundation has made it a priority to educate the American people about this fundamental document.
- America’s Armed Forces. The brave men and women of the armed forces have dedicated their lives to preserve and protect our liberties and defend the principles that inspired our Constitution. As President Harry S. Truman told Congress in 1945:
“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.”
- A Conservative America. Recent Gallup polls find that an overwhelming majority of Americans — 40 percent — identify themselves as conservative, as opposed to liberal or moderate. This simply reinforces what Heritage Vice President Mike Franc reported after the 2008 elections: conservatives remain a force to be reckoned with. After all, Barack Obama campaigned last year on promises of lower taxes, spending cuts and a stronger national security because he knows what principles appeal to the American people.
- Growing Conservative Momentum. This year, the Left’s big-government plans — and there have been many — have sparked a big reaction from conservatives around the country. From the April tea parties to the August town hall meetings to the September protests in Washington, concerned Americans have made it clear to politicians that they remain devoted to our founding principles even if their representatives have abandoned them.
- The Sputtering Liberal Agenda. In part because of the firm conservative response, the liberal agenda is wobbling somewhat. While they continue to pose a grave threat to the nation, radical ideas like socialized medicine, new taxes on energy and handouts to Big Labor have been slowed or stalled in Washington. The Left has so far accomplished relatively little, but lest we grow overconfident we should remember that they still hold the levers of power.
- Conservative Victories. The landslide victories of gubernatorial candidates Bob McDonnell in Virginia and Chris Christie in New Jersey — both states that the Left had counted on to remain in their camp — demonstrate a growing public demand for conservative solutions. Election Day saw other conservative successes as well, including a referendum protecting traditional marriage in Maine.
- A New Heritage Milestone. More and more Americans are turning to The Heritage Foundation for conservative ideas and principled solutions to the most important issues of the day. Heritage has become the preeminent voice for conservatives in Washington, and our membership has grown by leaps and bounds in 2009. With over 550,000 active members, our voice is getting through as never before. Join Heritage today!
The conservative cause shows great promise, and for this we should be thankful.
From all of us at Heritage, have a very happy Thanksgiving.
Health care update
- Was Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) wrong about illegal immigration and the Left’s health care program? Not necessarily.
The pending legislation, Heritage’s Robert Rector reports, “would deliberately permit illegal aliens to participate in the government health insurance exchange and in the public option insurance program. It would nominally bar them from receiving health care ‘affordability credits’ and most regular Medicaid benefits, but verification procedures are weak and subject to fraud. Moreover, any limitations on benefits provided to illegal immigrants under the House bill are deceptive. The President and the congressional leadership clearly intend that these limits will be only temporary, to be overturned by amnesty or ‘comprehensive immigration reform’ legislation that will be introduced next spring.”
- Writing on National Review Online, Heritage’s Mike Franc posits a new theory about why the Left is pursuing its radical health care agenda even though it could cost them dearly at the ballot box. “What happens if a generation of party leaders concludes that while there are no longer any permanent political victories, permanent policy victories are still to be had?” He continues: “In that case, it makes perfect sense to sacrifice political gains — including, when necessary, knowingly throwing some members of the governing coalition under the bus — if that’s what’s required to achieve an important policy victory.”
- Freedom of conscience protections are increasingly under attack, and these attacks will only grow as Congress considers a new public health care plan for the nation. This past summer, Washington bureaucrats ruled that Belmont Abbey, a private Catholic university, violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by denying health insurance coverage for contraceptives to its employees. “If the federal government succeeds in trampling on the conscience rights of a private university organized under a religious charter,” write Heritage experts Chuck Donovan and Bob Moffit, “the principle could go well beyond contraception to include sterilization, abortion and other practices as well.”
> Other Heritage work of note
- “The death tax is a job killer,” writes Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner. Fortunately, it is set to completely expire in 2010 and Americans will experience first-hand the growth that results. But unless Congress acts now, this burdensome tax may again return to an “obscene” 55 percent in 2011. “Americans are set to get a glimpse of life without the death tax next year. After that, lawmakers should act to make sure this levy goes away. Completely and forever.”
- In America, elected officials in Washington command the military. “That’s the way it should be,” writes Heritage national security expert James Carafano. But “political agendas shouldn’t trump responsible military counsel.” Unfortunately, today it seems they do. Top Pentagon officials who previously championed common-sense security programs like missile defense have reversed course. Others are keeping strangely quiet about the indecision over Afghanistan. Still others are echoing the administration’s characterization of the Ft. Hood shootings as a “tragic accident.”
> In other news
- President Obama is scheduled to deliver a major address on Afghanistan next Tuesday at West Point. It is expected he will announce an increase in troop levels. The President has announced that it is his “intention to finish the job.” Let’s hope that means providing the resources necessary, such as the additional 40,000 troops his field commanders have requested, to finish it successfully.
- Liberals in Congress are proposing a tax increase to “pay for” the war in Afghanistan. How about they stop spending quite so much instead?
- Global warming alarmists took a major hit earlier this week when a hacker released e-mails and data exchanged between climate scientists. Several of the messages appear to indicate an attempt to skew results to show increased warming.
- After just one year of the Obama administration, the federal government has already spent $3.5 trillion. This is a record for first-year presidents, Fox News reports.
- Maj. Nidal Hasan, the man charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in an attack in Ft. Hood, is expected to plead not guilty on account of insanity.
- This past year has been marked by numerous diplomatic trips, but there’s very little to show for it. This has led even Germany’s Der Spiegel to wonder whether the President’s “soft power” approach works when dealing with rogue nations.
- The movement to enact same-sex “marriage” in New York and New Jersey has stalled, the AP reports.
