The keys to success have never really changed. It starts with a simple foundation of hard work, humility, and a handshake.
Hard work is critical to success. Everything worth having is earned. In a free market, capitalist system, your wealth is directly related to the value you provide the marketplace. The greatness of our system is we are all given the same opportunity, not a guaranteed outcome.
In “the old days”, your word was your bond. Your reputation was everything you had. People want to deal with people they trust. All solid relationships start with this trust: marriage, business partnerships, and the like. Marriage vows meant until death do us part, not until marriage is too much work, I find a much younger girlfriend, or I am too lazy to make it work. “In the old days,”a deal was a deal. If you shook on it, you had better honor it.
What we have today is millions of Americans who have no clue what this country was founded upon. We have generations of families who have been enslaved to welfare and government dependence. We have union bosses who buy off politicians to over inflate wages for their members. We have trial lawyers who sue over everything. We have a two-party system that is socialist and socialist-lite, neither defending the Constitution they were sworn to uphold.
We have the average Joe the Plumber who goes to work, puts in an honest days work, provides for his family, goes to church on Sunday, and minds his own business. We now have a political party and movement who has declared war on him. Us regular folks have decided to stand up and defend our values and way of life. We have been called racists, nazis, domestic terrorists, and right wing extremists. We have been beaten up at town halls for simply defending our way of life and expressing our opinions. This is not my America.
We see bailouts for companies who make bad decisions simply because they buy off politicians of both parties with donations. We see people who buy homes they cannot afford get bailouts while those who can afford their homes get nothing but the bill. We have seen spending that will leave our grandchildren in debt, if our economy will last that long. Now we see our elected representatives take phone calls while we ask them questions, if they will even listen to us. They make fun of and belittle people who they are elected to represent. This is not my America.
We have “do-gooders and know-betters” who tell us they will run our lives better than we can. They tell us we have to wear seat belts for our own good, how much soda our kids can have, and how much sugar we should have in our ketchup. No thanks, I can make my own decisions. This is not my America.
I want the America of 1776 where we had a small federal government, not the smothering abomination of today. I want the America where if I want to pray somewhere I can. I want the America where I have the right to defend my home and family from the criminals who wish to violate it. I want the America where I can be as successful as I want to, provided I will earn it. I will stand up and sacrifice everything I have to do so. I will work to defeat these crooked politicians who serve themselves long before they serve us. I will never back down from what is right, no matter the cost.