Make America Great Again
We've all heard it. We've all seen it. Donald Trump spouts it over and over. Politicians, pundits, activists, and media celebrities have appropriated and twisted the slogan to sell whatever predigested pablum they think will influence pubic opinion.
But what does Make America Great Again really mean? What is the source of America's strength, pride, and safety? What is the source of America's greatness?
Is the source of America's greatness the Federal government? Obtaining political power and control over the Federal government allows imposing mandates, bureaucratic programs, penalties, regulations, and laws onto the country. The Federal government can force anyone to do anything by passing and enforcing laws. That has been the method of choice used by Republicans and Democrats since Ronald Reagan became President. Is that what makes America great?
Is the source of America's greatness the US economy? Capitalists have been heavily investing in communist and socialist countries since Ronald Reagan became President. Foreign countries no longer need to engage in espionage; they can buy US companies and get all the information they wish. Russia can exert more influence over the United States by buying stocks and bonds than it can by trying to buy an election. Both Republicans and Democrats hail foreign investment as economic success that has provided economic growth. Has selling out America provided prosperity? Is that what makes America great?
Is the source of America's greatness the US military? The US military has been fighting in Afghanistan for nineteen years and in Iraq for almost as long. The US military has been guarding the Korean DMZ for over fifty years. What has changed? Politicians routinely call upon the military whenever they want to show they can make tough choices and are willing to take a political hard line in the sand. Don't like Iran? Deploy more troops. Don't like Russia in Crimea? Send naval destroyers to the Black Sea. Don't like Bashar al-Asad? More flyovers and boots on the ground will show resolve. Want to force a stone age society to agree to US terms? Send a naval battle group or maybe threaten to throw a nuke or two; that will do the trick. Republican and Democrats have been using the military for political purposes since Ronald Reagan became President and the military is still deployed, the problems persist. Is that really what makes America great?
So what does Make America Great Again really mean? The source of America's greatness has always been the people of the United States. Granted there are too many instances in America where the people chose to be much less than great. But the United States has not solved any national problems without empowering the people. The people of the United States haven't made the country perfect but are certainly the source of America's greatness.
Make America Great Again is about mobilizing the people of the United States to solve national problems as best they can in their own way. The solutions won't be perfect; the United States isn't about achieving perfection. Think of the examples in the history of the United States that are used to define American greatness. Almost all those examples are about everyday people making ordinary contributions to addressing big problems. The United States is not going to solve national problems until the people are once again supported and empowered to work toward a common goal.
Make America Great Again is about people working together toward a common goal, as best they can, without needing a whip to force them. As long as the people of the United States are abused, weakened, and ignored by politics, business, finance, and academia then America's greatness will continue to fade away.
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Make America Great Again is about empowering and supporting the American people so they can work together to do great things. America has never been perfect but America really has done great things.
How right you are, cooperation and compromise has brought us this far united.
We stood, now do we chose devided and see where that takes us ?
Many seem to think that is better and their chosen ideology should rule.
I sincerely doubt that after 243 that's the way to go myself.
United we stood sooner or later divided we'll fall Our choice still.
Great posting Nerm thanks for sharing it.
IMO most of the people of the United States still believe in America. They want to participate in America, they want to contribute. The problem is that everyday, ordinary people are being told their participation and contribution doesn't matter. People seem to be trying to find some way for their participation to really make a difference by competing for attention. I don't think they'd being doing that if they only cared about themselves.
Which begs the question: When was America not great (sans Civil War)?
Not until Barrack was elected anyway.
It's a great question with I can see has generated some interesting answers. May I offer one?
America was great when a traditional system of authority held sway. It was a strong society, in which the nations wealth was shared by many, with tremendous prosperity unknown to the rest of the world. So yes, the answer has a lot to do with social order and economics.
The power of any god depends entirely on the faith of everyday, ordinary people. A general cannot do great things without an army; it's the army that achieves greatness. Abraham Lincoln could not have ended slavery without a host of everyday, ordinary people working together toward that end. The faith, efforts, and sacrifices of ordinary people lifted Abraham Lincoln to greatness and Lincoln recognized that. Lincoln's recognition of the source of American greatness is why Abraham Lincoln was a great President.
I contend that greatness is only possible by empowering everyday, ordinary people to contribute, as best they can, in their own way.
Great people in the history of the United States have had the ability to recognize the source of American greatness. Great people are not great because of their authority, wealth, status, intellect, or charisma. There are many examples of people possessing those qualities who are lost and unnoticed in the history of the United States and are not considered examples of America's greatness.
So, I strongly disagree with the contention that America's greatness comes from institutions, national wealth, or even fear of God, Himself. History suggests that people who believe in the idea of America would destroy God if He became an obstacle to pursuing a better future.
Heck, the existence of any god depends entirely on the faith of everyday, ordinary people.
Funny how that works, ain't it?
Have you ever seen six lanes of traffic come to a halt to allow a duck and her ducklings to cross? I have.
That didn't require any heroism. That's not any great sacrifice. There wasn't anyone in authority to force people to stop. People just stopped and waited because it seemed to be the right thing to do. Everyone was on the same page, apparently by unspoken common belief.
That's American greatness.
Lincoln's love for America and his determination under fire is what made him our greatest President. His entire Presidency was under siege from day one. When he was elected President seven states seceded from the Union. Not long after the bloody Civil War came to an end, he was assassinated. BTW he was elected with 40% of the vote. All of that sounds vaguely familiar.
So, I strongly disagree with the contention that America's greatness comes from institutions, national wealth, or even fear of God, Himself.
Then maybe you can explain why my generation, the boomers, which had it all, left the nation in the condition it is in?
The people are never going to come together when it's the catch phrase of someone who denigrates any and all of his opponents.
Some people use it as a my way or the highway solution. Against MAGA? You are against the US. You are a socialist commie etc.
IMO the phrase will now forever be ingrained with an asshole in love with totalitarian dictators.
Who said anything about coming together? That's the wet dream of politicians, pundits, activists, and academics who try to claim their majority wants them to have the authority to abuse power. Yeah, its possible to force anyone into submission. But that isn't a measure of greatness.
The United States has had several great Presidents. But there isn't any President in the entire history of the United States that has made America great.
That would require coming together.
I agree the founding fathers who thought about and wrote how this government is set up sharing the power and we the people supposably control who is in charge of that shared power is What Made America Great long ago.
Okay, maybe I don't understand what you mean by 'coming together'. Could you explain that a little more?
I mean more along the lines of putting party politics aside and doing what is best for society at large.
There are actually plenty of things most people agree with. Throw in party politics and divisions get made.
I agree with that.
Glad to see you here Nerm. I remember you from the vine. I wish more people would come over.
And too many are making money hand over fist keeping us divided.
Hmmmmm.....Think you could ask a more obvious question.....?
Okay.... I'll play. Think printed media, talk radio show hosts, talking heads, and websites there Wally. You can't think of anybody far left/right that isn't making money by distorting or fabricating facts?
There have been presidents who have inspired our nation and defined our nation. Geroge Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, JFK, to name a few. But what would help make America great, is if our parties focused in on what we have in common rather than what divides us.
But that doesn't serve their purposes.
When you help vote Trump out of office in 2020 we will be on our way.
Teddy, to think we actually had a progressive in the White House! And we survived it, and he is usually revered as one of the greatest presidents of all time, his face is carved in stone....
Politics isn't about unifying us anymore, But unity is something politicians will take advantage of whenever it rears it's head. Otherwise, they believe that keeping us divided makes them stronger.....
Political parties or should I say the two major parties are more concerned with what keeps them in power rather than what is best for the nation as a whole.
What? the whacko radicals think they are going somewhere?
Sorry, I doubt anyone would call Teddy a progressive. His cousin yes, but not him. He had vision and that is something that we have been sorely lacking in the White House. They don't take action, they are reactionary.
Sorry Sweets, But TR in most historical, educational, encyclopedical and political circles was considered (in some opinions even) a radical progressive......
Theodore Roosevelt: Progressive Crusader
Roosevelt’s Progressivism
It's even in the Encyclopedia Britannica.....
Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive movement
History establishes it, Education teaches it and Encyclopedias catalog it....
Everyone calls him a progressive cause he was. He even founded the Progressive Party ....
Not sure that progressives today would be able to work with him, but he is one of their progenitors.....
And we need more of it, the local races have been taken over by pablum based upon the national races. we need to see where our reps actually stand on issues and that is the information the media has been refusing to tell in their drive to the support of one side or the other.
I'll put money on the fact that is will never really happen, the political class views themselves as they don't need to tell people how they actually stand. Party platform should be good enough....
He was a progressive within the confines of the Republican concept. He still held onto other Republican views. When he lost as the leader of the Bullmoose party, who did he lose to? Wilson. What was Wilson per se?
You mean he wasn't a leftist, like today's progressives are.... {chuckle} I agree....
That is why I said I don't think today's progressives and him would get along.....
Confronting today's progressive? He probably would call up the Rough Riders again....
But it does show that terminology (and ideology) does change over time..... Yesterday's radical is today's carving on Mt Rushmore....
Wilson was a blatant racist like most progressives of his era and many today.
Wow, NWM. In just two consecutive postings you almost created a shred of credibility and then ripped to bits. You did a better job of that than I'd could ever have hoped to.
Coming from you, that's a compliment......
thank you....
I don't think my credibility is in any danger.....
I sure wouldn't want to post anything you would agree with.....
Well said and progressiveism advanced in Wisconsin and California under Republican governors. Democrat Wilson ran it into the ground and along with other progressive thought leaders destroyed the reputation of the word and they buried it, replacing it with the word liberal until it became discredited in the 1980’s and 1990’s and now they are resurrecting the term progressive to hide the socialism they really want now.
The people are never going to come together in a society with two different sets of values.
What patriotic American would oppose making America great again regardless of whether said by Reagan, Clinton, or Trump? What patriotic American would oppose the concept of Keep America Great!? When that’s the campaign theme in 2020 will the opposition say what democrat NY governor Cuomo said, that America was never really that great?
"Make America Great Again." ? ?
Fine I suppose. I just take issue with the Birtherism that made all of this possible. Greatness and America seemed defiled to me.
Hi Nerm, welcome to NT.
IMO the people of the US are what makes us a great country. At times in spite of ourselves.
Well, its too soon to say I'm glad to be here. After Newsvine crashed and burned I started playing on Google+. Now that G+ has gone belly up I'm here. Right now I'm just kicking the pig to find out how it squeals.
Yep, it seems that American greatness is accidental at times. But that kinda suggests being American is more than just living in the United States. The United States is only a country; America represents something more.
'Welcome back my friend, to the show that never ends', Nerm
Well, I'm here.
If anyone is interested here is what I set up on Google+. It's more than just a group, navigation is on the left under About Community. Don't need an account to see what's there.
Newsviners on Google+
The main page turned into a blog for my own entertainment, not a lot of activity. There were a number of lurkers, though. The attractive part was navigation that allowed me to add other interesting stuff.
Now that I can agree with, despite all our petty differences we are all one family, and proudly so.....
The nation is great not because of it's worldly power, it's because when we as a people are needed we are there for most anyone....
We have the ability to put our petty differences aside to get the job done. (when we can all agree what the job is)
And yes I agree, in spite of ourselves.....
To some that post here on NT, it won't matter. To others, no matter what the evidence provided, they won't believe it.
To those of objectivity:
As an American that has lived outside of the US for the last seven years, and having interacted directly with the European and Asian cultures, America's image, perception of strength, and as a stabilizing force for good in the world has really taken a dive over the last two years.
American faith has been shaken that our strength will provide a better future. Americans aren't willing to accept that they need to make great sacrifices to keep things as they are.
The United States has been fighting war after war after war to eliminate threats and fear of attacks. After all the sacrifice the threats and fear remain. The sacrifice has not made the future better. Americans are losing faith in the strength of the United States. Americans were promised that strength would provide peace. Instead the strength of the United States has delivered constant fear and need for more sacrifice without any peace in the foreseeable future.
True that.
"So what does Make America Great Again really mean?"
"Legal citizens" of this country are the ones doing well, and are considered the ONLY "Important" folks to be consider "FIRST" !
As the "Liberal Types" have ALWAYS said..... "We aren't the police of the WORLD". It's time the Liberal Types lived up to that Mantra and focused on THIS countries MANY citizens, instead of a few and the OUTSIDERS !
And so the you think that cutting WIC programs, and school lunch programs, and education funding, and military benefits, and such is how to best take care of the "Important" folks.
Next thing you'll sell me on is privatizing the VA..... Wonder why all the veterans groups are so against that?
How did you ever make it without ALL this so-called EXTRA NEEDED funding for schools, lunches and benefits they say is needed now ?
Not as many folks with their hands out back then ?
I know I didn't have any issues back then.
When I went to school way back in the 1960's my family was as poor as poor could be, and I got a free lunch. But when I got sick, my mom had to try and figure out if she could afford the $10 to see the doc, and so now I have nerve damage in my left ear from chronic infections I had as a kid. Life was not so peachy for me or my family.
Are you guessing? If you are, then you are wrong. The number of people under the poverty level was 22%.
Really? But you look so young.
Yes, and we also made fire with a flint, too.
Thanks Gordy!! I'll take that!
Yes, we all know that starving children learn so much faster with textbooks written in the 50's.
Most decent folk don't figure that if they're not directly impacted, nobody else was - or that if other people were, it doesn't matter.
No they are not. You have an odd definition of what doing well is. When 12% of our citizens are living beneath the poverty level, and the average income level is $56,500 but when adjusted for inflation you actually were making more in 1980, $68,000 a year.. Do you feel this is us doing well?
Call me a neo-con, but I'm sorry, there are sometimes we need to intervene. That being said, I am not sure if you are talking about international policy or national policy.