“Is America an Exceptional Nation?” asked speaker Bill Lifka Thursday night at the Republican Club of Sumter Landing meeting at Lake Miona Recreation Center.
“Some Republicans believe America has used its freedom to create and nurture the best society known in human history,” Lifka began. “There have been mistakes along the way, but citizens faced the truth and returned to the righteous path planned by the Founders.”
“Some doubt America is exceptional,” Lifka continued, “and others worry America was once exceptional but lost it by not keeping up with the times. Our task tonight is to remind ourselves why America has been and remains the greatest nation, admired by the world’s peoples who look to it for inspiration and leadership.”
He discussed seven principles he believes make America exceptional.
1. Lifka likened America to a stable three-legged milking stool — with its three societal pillars being our Republican form of democracy; a market economy and Judeo-Christian behaviors.
2. He cited unique American humor — the ability to laugh at ourselves and our mistakes, and the freedom to criticize our government and its policies. “Try that in Russia or most other countries,” he quipped.
3. Lifka believes our two-party system — and tolerance for differing political views — make America strong.
4. There is no other nation with as diverse a population as exists in America — where people can all pledge their allegiance to America, and still enjoy the ethnic heritage of their ancestors.
5. Lifka admires America for its ability to embrace wisdom that rises ‘from the people’ — from the people working in the trenches with invaluable knowledge and experience. That is in sharp contrast to monarchies and dictatorships, which rule from the top down.
6. The preamble to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights provide a unique and sacred contract between the American people and its government, and
7.Our freedoms are not free. They have been earned by our military and our patriotic leaders, and can never be taken for granted. Our principles must be shared with our youth and must be re-affirmed by each succeeding generation — to assure perpetuation of our great nation.
Lifka then opened up the discussion to audience members, who added ideas why they believe America is exceptional. Its system of checks and balances to limit government power; and the concept of self-reliance and individual responsibility were mentioned. America’s resilience was lauded — how our country survived its Civil War, the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy and the stock market crash — and how we will overcome current government problems as well.
Pride was on the list — pride in our country, our shared heritage, our flag and our freedoms.Our freedom of expression, freedom to worship and American innovation were next — how freedom to think and do leads to beneficial new ideas and inventions. One gentleman mentioned the value of ‘mission work’ in foreign countries — ostensibly to deliver a religious message, but also, importantly, to let other peoples in our world understand what American exceptionalism is all about.
Club president Joe Elliott and Bill Lifka believe strongly that we must reach out broadly to people we know — to talk about politics and religion with our friends and neighbors — and particularly with our younger generations — in order to return our people to American values. “We owe our kids and grandkids the benefit of our years of experience — we owe them our ideas and tools so they can fix America.
With a mixture of humor and sadness, Bill Lifka has written an assertive new Declaration of Independence, dated July 4, 2014, with apologies to the original delegates to the Second Continental Congress, It begins: “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for the people to remove a political party from power and restore a decent respect for the Constitution, it is appropriate to declare the causes which impel such removal. We hold that American governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed as expressed in said Constitution. When a long train of abuses and usurpations evinces a design to violate that sacred covenant between governors and governed, then it is the duty of the people to throw off the oppressors and provide their own security.”
Lifka feels called to discuss conservative ideas and work to win back our freedoms in our generation as our elders did in theirs.