From CNN's Political Ticker:
According to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, close to 70 percent say that if the signers of the Declaration of Independence could see America today they would be disappointed, while just under 30 percent say the founding founders would be happy with the country 232 years later.
Americans didn't always feel that way — in 2001, 54 percent thought that the signers would be pleased with the state of the country today; now that figure is down to just 29 percent.
This finding really depresses me, and I have to say I disagree. I believe our Founders would be proud of our country. We're not perfect, but we've achieved a lot. This country has been a land of opportunity for generations of immigrants, allowing those who work hard an upward mobility that's historically been hard to come by anywhere else. We've been responsible for countless inventions and discoveries which have improved the quality of life for the entire world. Our Constitution and the Bill of Rights have stood the test of time, and the list of freedoms we have has only expanded over time.
So why are so many people disappointed in our country? I personally believe that 30 years of Reagan/Bush-style politics is responsible. For 30 years now, conservative politicians have been telling us that our government is a failure, and that our society is too just. Then, they've proven that our government is a failure by running it into the ground. They have hammered home the idea that we don't owe our country anything, that our government is the enemy, and that it's every man for himself. After 30 years, it seems to me that Americans have bought into this crippling "me-first" mentality. The results of this survey show me just as clearly that we don't like what we have wrought. It's time for a return to a politics that seeks to achieve the common good.
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