Is the United States exceptional?

The concept of American Exceptionalism is often misunderstood. Just this afternoon, I heard a radio commentator explaning how NASA was part of American Exceptionalism since it was an agency showing how advanced the USA is in science. Obviously, the commentator had no idea what "American Exceptionalism" truly is.

The Declaration of Independence proclaims that each individual is endowed by his creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is perhaps the most succinct summary of the basis for American Exceptionalism. In the USA, unlike anywhere else in the world of the 18th century, individuals were acknowledged to have received rights directly from God. There was no king annointed by the Almighty to rule. The rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were the possessions of individuals, not governments or groups. These individuals, then, joined together to empower the government -- not the reverse. This idea was what made America exceptional. Then the same ideas were used to form the basis for the United States Constitution. This was strengthened with the Bill of Rights which acknowledged these rights. Just look at the text of the first amendment as an example: "Congress shall make no law ...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The amendment does not establish the freedom of speech. Rather, it prohibits Congress from abridging the existing right of free speech that the individuals already have.

This idea of individuals with individual right made the USA different from all other countries in the 18th Century. Even to date, this different viewpoint has helped shape American culture and civilization to be different from all others.

One of the more important points relevant to American Exceptionalism is that individuals have the right to pursue happiness. They do not have the right to happiness. Our founding documents make clear that this society is to give each person the opportunity to achieve happiness. No results are guaranteed. This is part of the unique nature of the USA, the national DNA as it were.

It is this equal opportunity society that is currently under attack from Obama and the Obamacrats. Obama is not interested in equal opportunity. He wants equal results. He wants to "share the wealth", which means to take from those who have been successful and give to those who have not. Surely, this is not a bad idea in moderation, but in taking it to the extreme for which Obama has pushed, it is an undertaking that would destroy the very philosophical underpinnings of the USA.

Indeed, Obama clearly does not even understand American Exceptionalism. In April 2009, President Obama told a reporter, "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." To make that statement is to make clear that one does not have a clue what is meant by American Exceptionalism.

So the issue that Obama lays before the American people is whether or not we want to change the philosophical basis for our republic. Do we wish to throw off the theories of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as outdated 18th century constructs, or do we wish to keep those philosophies which allowed our country to achieve greatness?

My vote is to keep the philosophy of the USA and get rid of Obama. Obama has got to go.