America the way I see it

I was reading Ronald Reagan’s acceptance speech from 1984 and it helped believe in this Country again, who we are, where we came from and that as long as we have the very breathe of life left in us, Freedom will never die.The following is copied from His speech, although I did rearrange it.“We came together in a national crusade to make America great again, and to make a new beginning, The poet called Miss Liberty's torch led the way the "lamp beside the golden door." Well, that was the entrance to America, and it still is. The glistening hope of that lamp is still ours. Every promise, every opportunity is still golden in this land. And through that golden door our children can walk into tomorrow with the knowledge that no one can be denied the promise that is America. Her heart is full; her door is still golden, her future bright. She has arms big enough to comfort and strong enough to support, for the strength in her arms is the strength of her people. She will carry us unafraid, unashamed, and unsurpassed.We don't celebrate dependence day on the Fourth of July. We celebrate Independence Day. We celebrate the right of each individual to be recognized as unique, possessed of dignity and the sacred right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. At the same time, with our independence goes a generosity of spirit more evident here than in almost any other part of the world. Recognizing the equality of all men and women, we're willing and able to lift the weak, cradle those who hurt, and nurture the bonds that tie us together as one nation under God.We believe in the uniqueness of each individual. We believe in the sacredness of human life. For some time now we've all fallen into a pattern of describing our choice as left or right. It's become standard rhetoric in discussions of political philosophy. But is that really an accurate description of the choice before us?Go back a few years to the origin of the terms and see where left or right would take us if we continued far enough in either direction. Stalin. Hitler. One would take us to Communist totalitarianism; the other to the totalitarianism of Hitler.Isn't our choice really not one of left or right, but of up or down? Down through the welfare state to statism, to more and more government largesse accompanied always by more government authority, less individual liberty and, ultimately, totalitarianism, always advanced as for our own good. The alternative is the dream conceived by our Founding Fathers, up to the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with an orderly society.When we talk of the plight of our cities, what would help more than our enterprise zones bill, which provides tax incentives for private industry to help rebuild and restore decayed areas in 75 sites all across America? If they really wanted a future of boundless new opportunities for our citizens, why have they buried enterprise zones over the years in committee?Our opponents are openly committed to increasing our tax burden. We are committed to stopping them, and we will.Our tax policies are and will remain prowork, progrowth, and profamily. We intend to simplify the entire tax system—to make taxes more fair, easier to understand, and, most important, to bring the tax rates of every American further down, not up. Now, if we bring them down far enough, growth will continue strong; the underground economy will shrink; the world will beat a path to our door; and no one will be able to hold America back; and the future will be oursIs there any doubt that they will raise our taxes?That they will send inflation into orbit again?That they will make government bigger then ever?And deficits even worse?Raise unemployment?Cut back our defense preparedness?Raise interest rates?Make unilaterial and unwise concessions to the World?And they'll do all that in the name of compassion.It's what they've done to America in the past. But if we do our job right, they won't be able to do it again.As we ask for their help, we should also answer the central question of public service: Why are we here? What do we believe in? Well for one thing, we're here to see that government continues to serve the people and not the other way around. Yes, government should do all that is necessary, but only that which is necessary.We Come together in a national crusade to make America great again, and to make a new beginningWe don't lump people by groups or special interests. And let me add, in the party of Lincoln, there is no room for intolerance and not even a small corner for anti-Semitism or bigotry of any kind. Many people are welcome in our house, but not the bigots.Finally, we're here to shield our liberties, not just for now or for a few years but forever.”We proclaimed a dream of an America that would be "a shining city on a hill."I do believe we are that shining city on a hill that one voice can make a difference, and that if we come together not as republicans but as conservatives we can help this country get back on course, we are Americans, and it is our duty to fight for all we are, for all we have and have been given, to stick to our morals and exercise our rights. No government should tell us how to spend our money, who we should give it to, how we should worship, if we can own guns, no government should be able to exercise eminent domaine over our very lives. I believe in an America that is free .Brian Kinnett