Hufman: Restoring belief in the American Dream would be nice for a change

By Matt Hufman

Monday, Aug. 29, 2011 | 3 a.m.

My father passed many things on to me, including his love of country and his interest in politics. After serving in the Navy, he volunteered for Robert Kennedy’s Senate run, but he soon soured on the Democratic Party and switched his allegiances. He would die a Reagan Republican.

My father, who had a career starting and running businesses, was thoughtful, and his opinions were well founded in fact. He was principled, but he knew when to be pragmatic. He grew up poor, lived through tough times and worked hard to succeed. He believed in—and achieved—the American Dream.

I’ve thought of him over the past few months as I’ve watched too many cable news programs—both left and right—and wondered what he would say about the current state of politics and his party. Long gone is the sunny outlook of Ronald Reagan. Republicans have become purveyors of doom and gloom, and there’s no room for compromise. After that goofy Republican presidential straw poll in Iowa, I turned off the TV. It was the best decision I made all summer. I think he would agree.

There’s no doubt that the country’s economy is struggling, but I don’t need to hear politicians tell me that, especially when they have no positive vision of their own. What has been particularly troubling is the tale I’ve heard many Republicans tell, which doesn’t match the reality I see. Consider the storyline:

Once, America was the world’s leader, superlative in everything it did. Our country was the envy of other nations, and then Barack Obama took office. Now the economy is in terrible shape, unemployment is up and reckless politicians in Washington have saddled our grandchildren with debt, led the country down the path of socialism and paved the way for the Chinese to take over.

If you’re hyperventilating—or you think the solution is to slash taxes for the rich—try turning off Fox News, take a deep breath and consider the charges: Socialism? Crippling debt? A Chinese takeover? And it’s all Obama’s fault?

Now, put things in perspective.

Change a few names, and this could be 1980 or 1984, when America was beset with inferiority problems amid an economic downturn. The country faced down the Soviet Union’s “Evil Empire” with a massive military buildup that added tremendously to the nation’s debt, yet the country rebounded and turned out just fine. And the debt, which rose tremendously during the last Republican president, isn’t new. It’s been growing for decades.

It’s not unusual that President Obama’s critics have tried to use the nation’s economic situation to help their own political chances. What’s unique is how far some political leaders are willing to go to inflame the situation. Republican leaders in Congress, for example, seem unashamed that their attempts to tarnish the president are harming the nation.

The recent stalemate in Congress demonstrated that. Republicans demanded their way as the nation headed toward default. After a deal was struck with little time to spare, Republicans crowed about getting their way, and then the nation’s credit was downgraded and the markets tumbled.

Heckuva job! House Speaker John Boehner should hang a “Mission Accomplished” banner in Congress.

Amid all of the nonsense in Washington, some Republican presidential contenders have talked about restoring American exceptionalism, the belief that the country is a special nation, a beacon of freedom and hope to the world. But since when did the country lose that? When Wall Street melted down? When the country was nearly driven to default?

As a country, America has been exceptional because it has overcome obstacles and divides that have plagued other nations instead of becoming bogged down in them. Certainly, the politics in Washington have threatened to derail the country, but there have been points in history at which the level of political dysfunction was worse, as were the nation’s problems.

More so, America has been exceptional because it has given people like my parents the freedom and the chance to succeed.

My parents came out of difficult childhoods, but I never heard them whine or complain about their circumstances, although no one would have blamed them. Instead, they worked hard and created a better life for themselves and their children.

It’d be nice to see that attitude in Washington.