To listen to some of the talk on the presidential campaign trail, one would think that America’s best days are behind it. Candidates on the left and right have hit a nerve with voters by playing on their frustrations and fears over, among other issues, income inequality and terrorism.
It’s true that millions of people are still struggling in the wake of the Great Recession. It’s true, too, that the threat of terrorism is real. America has many problems that can be traced to politicians who seem unresponsive to the interests of citizens.
A recent Pew Research Center poll found the public “deeply cynical about government, politics and the nation’s elected leaders in a way that has become quite familiar.” According to Pew, less than a fifth of people say they can trust Washington always or most of the time, among the lowest levels in half a century.
But despite the failures of the political class, the country has much to be thankful for, and Thanksgiving is an ideal time to consider our blessings and recommit to doing all we can to preserve them.
America still boasts the world’s biggest economy and best military. Our GDP is 70 percent larger than that of the second largest economy, China. We have the highest average household income among developed countries. America’s technology and finance sectors remain second to none, and the dollar continues to be the world’s dominant currency. We enjoy natural and constitutional rights that billions of people, even in Europe, are denied.
In some ways, America’s biggest challenges are a product of its success. Consider that two of the season’s most intense political debates, over illegal immigration and whether to resettle Syrian refugees, would not be issues at all if America weren’t such a desirable place to live. Failed states don’t attract millions of people willing to risk their lives to enter them; successful ones do. When our politicians talk about building a wall, it’s to keep people out, not to keep them in.
The taking of innocent life is always a tragedy. But it’s important to keep in mind that, despite appearances, the world is experiencing one of the least violent eras in its history.
Research suggests that the biggest challenge facing the people of America is not material poverty or a lack of recognized rights; rather, it is that we are becoming more isolated and less socially connected to one another.
This is another reason Thanksgiving is an important holiday to celebrate. It is an opportunity to reflect on our material success and the values and system of government that have made it possible. But it is also an opportunity to spend time with those without whom that success would lose all meaning.
