Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving! It is a simple phrase that is uniquely American. Even in the worst of times, America has always been a land of plenty. Sure, we have relative poverty in the United States…that means even the poor have access to junk food and cell phones. But in the rest of the world there is absolute poverty, with bloated stomachs and flies and people dying of thirst or starvation. We don’t have that here, and I am thankful.

This past year has been a tumultuous year both in my personal life, and in the life of the country. On a personal level, I have done things and achieved certain goals I thought would have been impossible several years ago. I have sadly said goodbye to old friends who have died or moved away. I have joyfully made new friends that have added new texture of my life. I am singing better. I am fundraising better. I am practicing law better. I am politicking better. I have met some interesting people beyond my reach a year ago. I have had some fun, eaten some good food, taken some trips. I have spent quality time with my family, the most important thing of all.

In the life of the country that I love, I watched Americans rise up and stand up against government intrusion into our lives. While I have seen disturbing things happen that never in million years did I think could happen here, I have also watched and listened as ordinary Americans openly debated the nature of our country, our freedom, our constitution, and American exceptionalism. Not only was it debated, it was debated with an intensity that would have made the founding fathers proud. And on election day, the people sent the elite in Washington a message…the people are still the boss. And if they didn't get the message the first time, the American people will be prepared to send the same message again in 2012.

This past year America has made a choice of growth opportunity over managed decline. We are paying off our credit cards at home, and now we want our government to pay off the credit card in Washington. We are choosing hope over fear, and I don’t mean the false hope of Barack Obama which offers nothing but government dependency. We are choosing the hope self reliance, personal freedom, unlimited economic progress built on hard work. We are not ready to throw in the towel like Britain or France, tossing the American dream on the dust heap of European social democracy.

We have a long way to go as the people continue examine the cause of the current national malaise. But they will sort it out as the themes of free trade but fair trade, an aggressive energy policy, and a common sense environmental policy begin to rise to the surface of the debate. And we will repeal and replace the convoluted health care plan passed by an ideological group of rabid leftists against the express will of the American people.

And a word to the TSA and its bizarre screening plan. The terrorists are not nuns or handicapped or five year old girls. How dare they take away our dignity in the name of political correctness gone awry because we might offend some Muslims. Shame on the the TSA, and shame on Barack Obama for allowing this to happen. This is government out of control in the worst possible way. America will rise up against these indignities, too.

We will take the country back.

For all of the above, I am thankful. God bless America.