Are Americans Still Proud of Success?

I believe every American dreams of being successful. Success may mean different things to different people but there are probably some commonalities amongst the meaning of success. If you ask High School kids today about their plans for the future they still see an optimistic picture of their prospects.

This presidential election is about two visions: the current president sees this country as a place that needs to be “fundamentally transformed” and his contender Mitt Romney sees a country that needs to get back to its roots and “founding principles.” I understand the founding principles vision because it is what has made us so successful as a country. I do not understand the “fundamental transformation” vision because that assumes what has been successful no longer applies.

We are hearing a lot about the “rich need to pay their fair share”, and how we need to “level the playing field” so that “everyone can have a piece of the American Dream”, and how we need to “redistribute” the wealth and opportunity of others to people that are more deserving and “have not received a fair shake.” This is defeatist and class envy politics.

No one deserves to be successful. Everyone deserves the opportunity to be successful. No one deserves a job. Everyone can learn the skills necessary to get a job. The rich don’t become rich because they have taken from some other group. Unless you are a politician or have a friend in the White House becoming rich usually means years of hard work, determination, and risk which results in people freely purchasing your product or service.

There is no free lunch but that is what this president is selling. Someone will have to pay but eventually no one will be willing to work.

Mitt Romney is a successful businessman, family man, and politician and his vision is helping Americans embrace their own potential to make it on their own. He knows the feeling of success and he wants everyone to share in that feeling. Not because they deserve it but because they worked hard and earned it. It is the fundamental founding principle of this country. Individuals unencumbered by government to pursue their dreams.

This vision expects people to take responsibility for their own future which is harder but is so much more satisfying. It also respects those that work hard and celebrates the individuals and organizations that do succeed.

This election is about two visions: Defeatism and Optimism. One candidate believes people can’t succeed without government help and the other believes that government has become the reason people are finding it harder to succeed.

This election will hold the answer to whether or not we as Americans still believe we can all succeed on our own …