The grateful Americans

(Denver Post, Nov. 23) We are the grateful Americans. We counted our blessings today, some of us in church or in prayer, some on the job or war patrol or a golf course, even some hospitalized or serving time, others just at home with the paper. Or we tried to; the list is long. Sure, we have our share of troubles, some obvious and others carried secretly. But we don’t take today for granted. Remembering those who will never see another sunrise, who gave or lost or wore out their lives to make ours possible, we live in the attitude of gratitude. To us it’s an obligation. We are the grateful Americans. We’re not showy about it; that’s not our way. We’ll dive in on the three F’s of Thanksgiving Day, family, feasting, and football, with the best of them. But the meaning of this season of thanks will be on our minds. The only “made in America” sacred day of the year won’t be lost on us.

Yes, we know. The country is hurting economically right now. Almost half the voters are still getting over their election loss, and the other half are impatient with them. The premise of Thanksgiving itself, recognition of God, has many a doubter nowadays. Won’t the thankfulness feel a little forced this year?

Actually, to the grateful Americans, it won’t. We recall the pauper who could smile though he had no shoes – for he knew a man who had no feet. The unimaginably affluent Uncle Sam is hardly barefoot, recession or not. Our resilience and resourcefulness that made the last boom will make the next one. Till then, our communal concern will relieve the hardest-hit. Our Pilgrim heritage is self-reliance and mutual help, not self-pity and blame.

Nor can political disagreements and disappointments make us unthankful. Our good fortune to live in a republic by consent of the governed is a treasure. Here ballots not bullets pick winners. Here the defeated have recourse to persuasion, not violence. Imagine life under the Chinese or Cuban or Saudi despots. Congratulations, Barack, say grateful Americans of both parties.

As for the tradition of dedicating an autumn Thursday to honor the Creator in our increasingly secularist culture, look at it this way: Many still revere Him according to the faith of their fathers. Growing numbers are equally devout, but outside the Judeo-Christian tradition. Others simply want to access gratitude’s awesome power as humanists. But all can join this week in saying, “Thanks, America.”

America deserves our gratitude for the liberty and justice, dignity and opportunity, prosperity and advancement, liberation and participation it has extended to more people from more places across more centuries than any other nation in human history.

America deserves our gratitude for the beauty and bounty of its land, the wisdom and goodness of its constitution, the decency and openness of its institutions, the nobility and generosity of its role in the world, the toughness of its idealism – and, yes, agrees this Republican, for the audacity of its hope.

America deserves our gratitude for the forgiveness in families, the neighborliness on your block, the caring of teachers, the cop who risked his life for you last night, the amputee home from Iraq – and for the self-correction that flares if these are betrayed or neglected.

When my house thanks America for such riches, we’re really thanking the God who we believe bestowed them and still stands “within the shadows keeping watch,” as a Civil War hymn says. Your house may be no less heartfelt in their thanks while believing otherwise.

Bridging our differences is the humble joy of the extravagantly blessed. In time, we hope, even the ingrate next door will warm to the Thanksgiving spirit as we have. We are the grateful Americans.

New habits for the GOP

(Denver Post, Nov. 9) “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Did I hear that from Hallmark, my mom, or in Sunday school? Turns out the words are from Stephen R. Covey’s self-help classic on good habits. They hit me on election night. My Republican party needs self-help if anyone ever did. Some of our gripe sessions about this year’s Democratic sweep feel like a sales meeting where everyone blames the customer. There are echoes of the East German party boss who said if the people didn’t like his regime, they needed to be straightened out. I mean serious denial. Having been a highly ineffective party since 2004 in Colorado, and since 2006 nationally, drunk on excuses and worse yet in 2008, maybe the GOP should check into detox. Supervising our rehab could be the stern Dr. Covey with his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Bad habits such as credit card binging, entitlement, victimhood, and not practicing what you preach can entrap groups as well as individuals. Republicans better do an intervention on ourselves after Obama’s blowout of McCain and state Dems’ pickup of two US Senate seats and three congressmen in four years. What would the Covey cure involve?

To maximize effectiveness, according to his 1989 bestseller, one should be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand and then to be understood, synergize, and “sharpen the saw.” Let’s talk about how these might apply to the party of Lincoln and Reagan. Eavesdroppers from other parties can snicker all you want. We’re too desperate to care.

To be proactive, we’ll quit whining about Bush’s blunders, the Messiah’s millions, media bias, or anything else in the rearview mirror. GOP congressional leaders will roll out a 2009-2010 Contract with America before the new president names his cabinet. Colorado conservatives will forge a cash-rich, hydra-headed counterpart to the progressives’ amazing Democracy Alliance.

To begin with the end in mind, we’ll write a Republican president’s 2013 inaugural address and post it on the Web this coming January 1. We’ll map the states our ticket must carry to make Obama a one-termer, then target the issues to win those states. Next write a game plan for taking back Congress in 2010, as we did in 1994.

Putting first things first means a laser-focus at all levels of the party on economic recovery, abundant energy, healthy families, fiscal integrity, and national security, period. The American dream was co-opted this year by a smooth talker with a European agenda. We can unmask that ruse. Retake the high ground, team.

Win-win thinking isn’t easy for Republican individualists, the so-called “leave us alone coalition.” But without it we’re toast. Our ethic of responsibility and opportunity has much to offer women and youth, blacks and Hispanics. Get better at communicating that or prepare to be a permanent minority.

Seeking first to understand, then to be understood, is crucial as a habit-breaker for the refusal to listen that undid both the Bush presidency and the McCain campaign. This doesn’t just mean polling. It means listening with the heart. Millions more “felt heard” in 2008 by their side than ours – and voted accordingly.

Synergizing sounds like Oprah babble, but we’ll be uncompetitive until we catch up with the Dems in using social networking and Facebook to make one plus one equal three. Sharpening the saw sounds like Huckabee cornpone, but we’ll be perennial losers until we commit to habitual self-improvement and the endless campaign ala the other Man from Hope, Bill Clinton.

The political pendulum has swung left. The right can either wait for it to swing back, or we can form new habits and pull it back. I’m for the Covey cure.

20 reasons to support McCain

(Denver Post, Oct. 19) Democrats and Republicans both have a lot to answer for in the mortgage mess. Yet one party is going to hold the White House for the next four years. Here’s a way of looking at the presidential election without regard to partisanship. It comes down to the caliber of the individuals who are asking for our trust, and the kind of America we want to live in. On one side there are the Pilot and Mrs. Palin, a war hero and a tough frontierswoman, a maverick senator and a reform governor. On the other side are the Wizard of Ob and his sidekick Jolly Joe, a Chicago hustler and a Washington hack. The Wizard scares me, because if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Our country will be in better hands with the old Pilot flying. McCain’s my man. Twenty reasons come to mind, based on the rival candidates’ positions. It’s the Pilot for economic growth and job creation, for avoiding big tax and spending increases, for encouraging world commerce and preventing the return of 1930s-style trade barriers. He and Sarah will maximize America’s energy resources, traditional and alternative alike. They’ll restore prosperity sooner; no New New Deal for them.

The Wizard wants health care to become a government-sponsored enterprise, much like Fannie and Freddie, heaven help us. He’s against parental choice of schools, bowing to teacher unions. He’d sign the labor proposal denying workers a secret ballot. His ACORN allies specialize in voter fraud.

Pilot McCain would appoint judges who respect the constitution like Roberts and Alito, in contrast to Wizard Obama’s liberal activist judges. Rabidly anti-gun, the Wizard would trash self-defense and the Second Amendment. He’d muzzle talk radio with the Un-Fairness Doctrine. Saving babies after botched abortions is “above [his] pay grade;” so is protecting traditional marriage. Unbelievable.

The old Pilot’s wings wobble, it’s true, on securing our borders against the illegal alien invasion and refusing to reward immigration lawbreakers with amnesty or citizenship. But you know Mac will still fight harder for our national identity than the multicultural Wizard with his America-hating church background.

And speaking of Obama’s 20-year tutelage under Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who wants radical pastors like him and Father Pfleger as unofficial chaplains to the First Family? Not me.

A president able to say “God bless the USA” with no profanity or KKK sarcasm was never more needed than today, when perhaps 10 percent of a billion Muslims desire religious war for our annihilation. That makes Pilot McCain by far the safer choice to lead America’s war on terror.

The Wizard of Ob is such a naïf on national security, it makes Bush’s gullibility toward Putin seem cunning. Amazingly, he blamed the victim in Russia’s rape of Georgia. He promised an unconditional summit with the Iranian madman who wants to nuke Israel. He stubbornly insists on surrender in Iraq. He ranks below Clinton and Carter in understanding peace through strength.

This brings me, if you’ve been counting, to No. 20 in my list of reasons to prefer John McCain over Barack Obama for President of the United States, party labels aside. The final and most important reason is character. The crusty old Pilot, airborne for all these years, has it beyond a doubt. The weaselly Wizard may or may not. The shadows enshrouding his resume, the special effects propelling his campaign, just make you wonder.

Was Mac faultless as a POW or in the Keating affair? No. Yet his integrity is manifestly that of an Ike or a TR. Whereas about Barack, we can’t be sure. The Wizard’s voice is alluring, but what’s behind the curtain? These stormy days are no time to gamble. Trust the Pilot, America.

Debating the ballot issues

(Denver Post, Oct. 5) Thursday noon was gorgeous in my hometown of Backbone, Colorado, up on the rooftop of America near Cottonwood Creek. Golden aspens under a cobalt sky framed the town square as folks gathered for the big debate on this year’s ballot issues. The principal gave a prayer and a veteran led the flag salute; Backbone still does those things. After the clerk explained mail-in ballots, a state senator talked about citizens’ role in lawmaking. “Deciding on 18 proposals is a chore,” he said, “but be grateful you can. We in the legislature don’t know it all. Sometimes your common sense beats our expertise.” “Most of the time,” shouted the mayor, an opposition stalwart. The senator let the laughter ripple away, then introduced the debaters. Rob Rightley, a rancher from Gunnison and former Romney volunteer, would take the conservative side. Lou Leftwich, onetime Denver law partner of Bill Ritter, would take the liberal side. By the coin toss he went first.

Leftwich’s opening joke about Sarah Palin and the Eskimo obstetrician fell flat. Murmuring something about the heat, he peeled off his suitcoat and started again. “Friends, the Colorado Promise is at risk. The governor’s recent budget cuts put even more urgency on these ballot issues. This is our chance to be patriotic, as Joe Biden has said, and tax ourselves for the common good.”

Leftwich pushed hard for Amendment 59, to prevent future billions in TABOR refunds to taxpayers, and for 58, to hike taxes on oil and gas by $321 million. Schools and colleges would benefit from both, he noted. He also urged support for 51, $186 million in new taxes for the developmentally disabled, and for 50, higher gambling limits with another college payout. “Do it for the children,” Lou pled.

When the Denverite said these are tough times for working people, the crowd warmed. But he lost them again with his pitch for Amendments 53, 55, 56, and 57 as a package. His slogans about mandatory health care, safe workplace, job security, and CEO accountability were scarcely uttered when catcalls of “Labor union power play” and “Trial lawyers’ full employment” rang out.

Probably wishing he was on the golf course, Leftwich attempted to finish strong with Referendum O, the measure making constitutional amendments harder to pass by petition. “If you’re tired of these crowded ballots, Ref O is for you. Do yourself a favor,” he said, and sat down to polite applause.

Rancher Rightley ambled up in his jeans and boots, Stetson in hand, and squinted at the crowd. “Lou, you couldn’t be more wrong about all nine of those turkeys. The first four are a money grab, and we absolutely should NOT tax a faltering economy. The next four are job-killers. Why would we attack employers with a recession coming on? This isn’t France, Mr. Leftwich.”

“As for Referendum O, requiring signatures from outside the Front Range does sound good. But with all the liberal, big-government stuff clogging up Colorado’s constitution, this no time to put the thing farther out of reach from we the people for needed reforms. I say Heck No on O.” Raucous cheers as Rightley beamed.

“So is it no on all 18 of them, Rob?” the mayor prodded. Well, the rancher said, he hoped Backbone voters would support Amendment 46 for colorblind laws, 47 to curb union power, and 48 to protect the unborn. Plus 49 to keep government neutral in partisan politics, 52 for better roads, and 54 to reduce corruption. “Six good’uns, and not a nickel of new taxes,” drawled Rightley.

Everyone scurried for cover when a cloudburst ended the debate. Checking his Blackberry, the senator yelled, “The unions pulled 53, 55, 56, and 57.” Lou shook his head. Rob pumped a fist and said lunch was on him.

Element R will outlast election

(Denver Post, Sept. 21) It’s false to say you can’t turn back the clock, C. S. Lewis observed. We do it all the time when the clock is wrong. That’s the way, at least, with people who care; and most people do. For three decades now, the United States has been resetting history by the same logic. Predictions of national decline, abounding in the 1970s from groups like the Club of Rome and leaders like Jimmy Carter, didn’t daunt the American spirit. We’ve gone about proving that our best days are still ahead, and I believe election 2008 should be viewed in that context. Historians suggest there’s a cycle by which nations rise and fall. Any generation or person supposedly can do little to prevent the clock running out. Bondage, faith, courage, and liberty are the upward stages, says an essay doubtfully attributed to Alexander Tytler, a Scots philosopher of the 1776 era. Abundance, complacency, apathy, and dependence mark the downward path to bondage again. Goodbye, Rome.

Sir John Glubb, the late British soldier and author, traced many examples of this pattern across 3000 years in his little book, “The Fate of Empires.” The rise to greatness begins with what he called an age of pioneers. Conquest, commerce, affluence, intellectualism, and decadence characterize successive ages, ending in ruin after about 250 years. So long, Uncle Sam.

Grim stuff; except Americans are having none of it. Sure, there are symptoms that warn we might be on the downhill side of the graph. But against these, there is a growing determination to avert dependence and decadence by acting as responsible individuals in responsible communities. It is deeper than politics and will outlast this campaign.

I wrote about this nonpartisan responsibility movement in a couple of columns last year, naming it Element R. Responsibility really is like a natural element or force, inescapable and always there. Think of oxygen, or gravity. We can ignore it at our peril or embrace it to our profit. This element is our antidote for Glubb’s diagnosis – and it’s working.

Responsibility means doing your duty, fulfilling your trust, expecting more of yourself than others. It is a prior condition for both the freedom conservatives cherish and the equality liberals exalt. It is indeed the essence of being human. At some point around the U.S. Bicentennial, a realization dawned that we were losing this distinctively American virtue. That’s when Element R began to stir.

Irresponsible indulgence infects both Republicans and Democrats. Yet we the people find ways of working through or around the parties to fulfill our trust. One result was victory in the Cold War, the Gulf, and now Iraq. Another has been reduction of pathologies like crime, drugs, abortion, racism. Others: welfare reform, long booms and shallow recessions, spectacular environmental gains.

Michael Barone tells the story well in “Hard America, Soft America.” The responsibility movement believes being hard on themselves will pay a dividend of kindness to their neighbor. Element R is about vertebrae, backbone. Uncle Spineless is not for them.

Tytler and Glubb contend a great nation’s lease on life is about ten generations; then comes sundown. It’s a competitive world, and ours is the ninth generation since Independence Hall. Islam is aflame. China is rising. My middle name didn’t suddenly become Pollyanna.

But America isn’t just another statistic of history. If any nation can beat the odds, we will. A burnt-out country wouldn’t elevate an iron man like McCain to the threshold of power. Nor would it consider for the highest offices an African immigrant’s son like Obama or a frontier woman like Palin, mother of five. Makes you darn proud, doesn’t it?

No matter who’s on top after November, the bottom-up responsibility movement of this generation will continue summoning the almost-chosen people to their duty. Our best days ARE still ahead.