This year when we gather around the table to feast on turkey, dressing, candied yams, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie, we may think there’s little to nothing to give thanks for.
After all we have high inflation, resulting in $16 McDonald’s meals in some areas, wages that haven’t kept up with inflation, escalating crime, wars in Ukraine and the Mideast with another one possible in Taiwan.
Additionlly, China is buying tens of thousands of acres of U.S. farmland, we’re seeing a disturbing spike in anti-Semitism both here and abroad, we’re forced to purchase oil and natural gas from our enemies, we’re seeing an invasion of illegal immigration at our southern border.
And that’s just a partial list.
To address these issues we have a weak president, one who created all or at least most of them, and who is now incapable of dealing with them.
Cheer up, though. We still have things to be thankful for as Americans, and there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Here’s Newsmax’s list of the top 10:
One: GOP House Majority:
We often hear fellow Republicans and conservatives complain that we only control one-half of one branch of government — the House of Representatives. The Senate and the White House is controlled by Democrats.
But what a branch! The House controls the pursestrings of government. And House Republicans have agreed to end the practice of writing and approving thousand-page omnibus spending bills, which have led to more than a $33 trillion debt.
The House has already approved a funding bill that slashes the EPA budget by 40%. This would be the same EPA that calls small ponds and mud puddles “navigable waterways” to exert their control over them.
Two: New House Speaker:
House Republicans unanimously nominated and elected Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana to be their leader for the foreseeable future.
Although a relative unknown, he’s proven to possess strong conservative values, and is a moral, God-fearing man who’s not in it for the glory and publicity; he just wants to see the country he loves succeed once again.
What a remarkable difference from the likes of free-spending former Speaker Nancy Pelosi! Although the California Democrat claimed to be a devout Catholic, she supported abortion up to childbirth and reportedly lined her own pocket by insider trading deals.
Three: Conservative SCOTUS:
A new dawn has broken over the U.S. Supreme Court, thanks to the work of former President Donald Trump’s nominations, and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s strict adherence to Senate traditions.
By doing that, and despite objections from Democrats, the Kentucky Republican refused to consider former President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland for the high court, thus paving the way for Neil Gorsuch.
He did the same four years later, which placed Amy Coney Barrett on the bench.
As a result, Roe v. Wade was overturned, Second Amendment gun rights were upheld, race-based college admissions ended, religious liberty was upheld, and the court forced the EPA to support property rights.
Four: Unimaginable Natural Resources:
We’re fortunate to have been born in (or legally immigrated to) a country of not only incredible beauty, but also having bountiful natural resources.
From Alaska’s oil-rich ANWR region to the Gulf of Mexico; from California to Pennsylvania, the United States has more oil and natural gas deposits than Saudi Arabia or Russia.
In 2019 the United States became energy independent for the first time since 1957 — 62 years. Although President Biden squandered that opportunity when he entered the White House, we’re capable of doing it again. It’s not just an economic win, it’s a national security win also.
Five: Essential Human Rights Guaranteed:
The Founders enshrined fundamental human rights in the Constitution — not as rights granted by government to the people, but as rights the people inherently possess that the government may not take away.
That distinction is important.
The former Soviet Union purported to give its citizens rights, but it later took them away.
Inalienable rights, however, can’t be taken away, and can’t even be given away.
The U.S. Constitution guarantees that we’re entitled to speak freely, petition our government for a redress of grievances, and worship as we please. It also guarantees the right to keep and bear arms and protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures.
And the list goes on.
Six: Built-In Gridlock:
The Founders purposely made it difficult to make new laws, and especially amend Constitution. While gridlock sounds bad, it helps prevent the passage of cockamamie, half-baked ideas, by forcing them to be approved by two, independent chambers of Congress, then finally signed into law by the president who has veto power.
Amending the Constitution is even more difficult. An amendment has to be approved by two-thirds of each chamber in Congress, then ratified by 75% of the states.
Seven: Opportunity to succeed:
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., often says his family rose "from cotton to Congress" within one lifetime, a feat made possible in large part by America’s economic system — capitalism.
While some members of Congress attempt to push us toward socialism as a means of sharing the wealth, the fact is that "shared wealth" always ends up being "shared misery."
The Pilgrims attempted to form a socialist society after they landed in the New World, and they failed miserably.
Eight million people have crossed our border to get into the United States.
No one is eager to immigrate to Cuba or Venezuela.
Eight: Moral Compass:
We live in a country having a moral compass, one that, deep down, recognizes Israel as our greatest friend and ally, and Iran, Russia and China as adversaries.
Although things may look dismal now, we have a good crop of congressional Republicans, as well as candidates looking to take sears from Democrats.
With any luck whatsoever, we can add to the number of House Republicans, and flip the Senate to GOP control.
But more than anything, Americans’ sense of justice and fair play will prevail in the end, and that’s something we can all be thankful for.
Nine: A Bright Future Ahead:
Yes, things look pretty dark and bleak now, but as the song goes, “The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades.”
Last month an ABC News survey showed President Biden to be underwater on all 10 single issues polled. They ranged from minus 13 points for his handling of the Israel/Hamas war, to minus 44 points for immigration/border security.
Early this month a New York Times/Siena poll had Trump ahead of Biden in five key swing states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
And if not Trump, the GOP has a great slate of other presidential hopefuls, especially in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has an outstanding record that has earned his state the title, “The Freedom State.”
Ten: Football!:
When Thanksgiving dinner is over, we can take our coffee and pumpkin pie heaped with a mountain of whipped cream into the living room, and enjoy a game of football.
No, not that girly-boy, low-score thing Europeans call football (but we know as soccer), where the guys run around in gym shorts kicking a ball up and down a field.
No, we play real football, a rough and tumble sport where everyone gets dirty and players will occasionally be taken off the field on a stretcher.
‘Murica!
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.
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