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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – As we approach our nation’s 250th birthday, it’s important that we are able to articulate what makes America great. That is best seen by comparing us to other “free” nations.
Obviously you wouldn’t want to live in China, Cuba, Russia or North Korea – places were you could be dragged away in the middle of the night for exercising freedoms that we take for granted here.
But consider places were people are “free” – like France, Canada, Japan, England, Argentina. You would still count your lucky stars that you live here instead of there.
Consider France for a moment: a beautiful country, with a tradition of democracy about as old as ours. In France you get free health care, retirement at age 62, and beautiful parks and public spaces. But their economy is tiny compared to ours; it doesn’t create enough jobs or generate enough wealth for everyone. If you want to better yourself here, you might take overtime or a part-time job. Those are forbidden in France, where the work week is capped at 32-hours. So if you are willing to work extra for things you want, like hunting land, a boat, a vacation home – you can’t. Enjoy the parks and your free health care.
Japan is a democracy too. But their government regulates everything. Economic growth is stifled.
England now pays out more in welfare benefits than it takes in in taxes. People who wake up and go to work each day are suckers. The have-nots take relentlessly from the haves.
Canada and Germany, both “free” nations, restrict free speech in ways we can’t imagine. You can be fined, or even jailed, for speech that others consider offensive.
Argentina, the freest South American nation, until 1976 there were six military coups. It’s a democracy as long as the military generals allow it.
I am not saying that other counties aren’t good. People who live there should be proud. But for the fullness of individual liberty, economic possibilities, the full glories of freedom – there is no substitute for the United States, even with all of her faults.
We ought to celebrate that on our nation’s 250th birthday.
Chris Conley
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