I don't think it's so much gone as ignored and minimized. Most Americans are not bad people, just poorly informed and preoccupied with the daily struggles of life.

Or so I'd like to think.

I'm less patriotic about the spirit of equality and freedom. I'm not all that attached to putting the adjective "American" in front of it.

That spirit hasn't died, because the torch has been passed to other countries.

I do wish, mostly out of selfishness, that I lived in an open democracy, with a responsible press, and a compassionate, educated electorate. It's a downer to be part of that other world, where the comparisons are to such horrors as Pravda, or the burning of the Reichstag; to internment camps and imperialist wars. But I have no regrets about waving bye-bye to American exceptionalism and the idea that Americans have some special spirit and example to bestow on the world.

Good piece of writing...one major problem;

FDR did not lead the country out of the depression. Going into his third term unemployment was still 20% and taxes had trippled. What got America out of the depression was in fact WWII and mass production of war goods.

While FDR did a great job of leading the country, and giving the people hope in a time of great challenges. His New Deal and 2nd New Deal were terrible pieces of legislation (with some exceptions) and really did nothing to get the U.S. out of the depression economically, but spriritually it did.

Oh, bigdog, I'm at a loss for words.

According to a nice graph I am looking at here unemployment began falling from about 25% shortly after FDR took office and fell steadily except for a spike lasting about a year and a half centered about 1937. At the beginning of his 3rd term unemployment looks to be 12-15%. It was dropping rapidly, and entry into the war did not cause the curve to get visibly steeper.

Yhanks Jim, I noticed that in 1934 the number of bank suspensions dropped from being in the hundreds to only 57.Bad regulation, bad regulation-it hurts bid'ness don't it?

If FDR was President today, they would have him assasinated by some lone gunman who claimed he worked for the CIA.

We have become the ugly Americans. On September 11, and the weeks following, I was as proud as I had ever been of this Country and it's people. I was inspired that we as a Nation could come together to share in our sorrow. I was inspired that we vowed to not let that tragedy destroy our faith in the goodness of men. We stood proud of our Country. As I have said before, a president can lead us and inspire us to do great things as a Nation, or they can lead us into despair and destruction. The sign of a good leader is getting the best from those they lead. This President will be judged historically. His legacy will be one of strife, dissension, conflict, discord, fraud, and lies. I pray that the next president will beable to help inspire us again, especially the youth of this Country, and lead us back to being proud of our Nation.

bd=FRDsucks!! ? just wondering.

Rana, I agree with you. People are so overwhelmed by just trying to make ends meet every month, that most of their energies are depleted at the end of the day.

It is easy to become arrogant, as I have caught myself occassionally being just that. We blog on sites that reinforce our beliefs, and just cannot fathom that others just can't see the truth. In reality, most Americans are struggling in their daily lives to just survive. Although they should be concerned and involved in the political process, that is not their reality.

Once upon a time in America, we had a press that helped them understand the issues. There were real press conferences where you could ask questions without being prescreened. The press printed the truth without fear, and our politicians were not afraid to stand up against the opposition party. When dissent disappears, the truth is jeopardized.

and the average American suffers.

GWB's memorial will be in Suitland or Cheverly.

Read his biogrophy sometime, it was one of the greatest books i've ever read. He was at a loss, and did not want to run for a third term because his new deal had done very little to boost the economy and it tripled taxes. (his words not mine) He asked why would anybody vote for me, this was before running for the third term which he only did because the party begged him, and I'm greatful he did run because he was a great wartime president. You have to admire his dedication to the programs, but he was very depressed and disappointed that they had such a little impact on the economy.

Now as I said earlier, the new deal did have a huge impact on the people because it gave them hope. That is something that is very difficult to do, and is perhaps the most important aspect of his presidency.

Michelle, Please don't equate me with that ass. While I disagree with a lot of people I try very hard to stay civil and act like a normal human being.

Our electorate failed its crucial test in 2004 and that will be seen by history as the seminal election demonstrating the final failure of our democracy. The spirit of vibrant democracy has been passed to other parts of the world----and not by the US, whose democracy has never been a model for other societies. Our civic spirit and social fabric was intentionally destroyed by an alliance of mega-corporate interests funding a reactionary "small government--large military" faux-conservatism, who recently added a Christian "priority" department for the decisive divisive component. So many citizens' brains are now so toxically scrambled by this vile brew of shit that even economic catastrophe will not alter their views. I don't think there will be any progressive consensus again in my lifetime, it took decades and a great depression to form the last one. With each bout of "conservative" shitbrainery the country endures, the health of the planet gets substantially worse and the opportunities and resources for coming generations get progressively smaller and limited. Global warming will substantially alter life on this planet as the current species have known it for millenia and we will be damned and loathed by future generations as a scourge upon the earth. And the only reason for a bit of satisfaction is that the name of George W. Bush, will be writ large and wholly and utterly condemned by posterity.

"Worse yet, we have voters who elected those leaders"

I dont think so. We chose the right leaders. The election was rigged.

And they will be rigged in 2006 and 2008.

As one who has served as a poll watcher before I know how importiant it is. We must have an even better seperate record of who voted. There are ways to imporve poll security and transparency in 2006. We can discuss this in detail over time. If we follow the rules, make a case against fraud and have a good case that fraud has occurred then we will have to do as the Georgians, Ukrainians and others have done and take to the streets.

Taking to the streets is the only course that will make a difference. Of course, we will be arrested and labeled terrorists, and probably serve time in some unknown prison.