Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Why This Election Is Primarily About Patriotism
First and foremost, voting is an act of patriotism. Elections are the epitome of patriotic expression. You can't have a republic or a democracy without participants who can freely speak through voting. This election is no exception.
Our nation’s Founders designed it this way. Their objective was to replace royalty with representation. They created accountability by building three branches of government within federal and state divisions under the umbrella of the U.S. Constitution. The glue holding it all together is the union—the voting—of “We, the People.”
Our Founders believed that voters were patriots of the ballot while elected officials were “patriots by action” as future president John Quincy Adams put it in 1804 while serving in the U.S. Senate. Adams had witnessed the birth of our nation. To him elected officials were “merely the proxies of the people.” He was right. They should be. And that idea is a driving force behind this election.
Adams also dished a little advice. “Fellow citizens, in choosing your representatives, be sure to choose men who will support your own interests.” If he were alive today, he would say the same thing, rightly adding “women” to the candidate equation. Regardless of your beliefs, politics, gender, race, ethnicity, home state or town, your vote reflects your interests and priorities. Your vote makes a difference.
Second, voting is patriotic because it’s the vehicle that drives the course of our nation’s future. When you vote, you are having a say in the direction of our nation. You are plotting the next stop on the roadmap of history. You are showing your love for your country and doing your part to shape it. That’s why failing to vote—voter apathy—is the opposite of patriotism.
“The instrument of all reform in America is the ballot,” President Woodrow Wilson acknowledged to Congress after his party lost big in the 1918 midterms.
A dominant force sparking this election is the possibility of a power surge in Congress. In most midterms the president’s party loses seats, but rarely do those losses change the party controlling Congress. That’s what makes the 2010 midterm different.
This year the Republicans are poised to capture the U.S. House of Representatives and close the gap in the U.S. Senate, likely making this election a rare realignment midterm that will change the nation’s future and set the dynamics of the 2012 presidential race.
Third, voting is patriotic because it can lead to more power in the hands of the people. This is especially true when there is a high turn-out in a midterm election.
Presidential campaigns are like listening to two different bands, each featuring a charismatic solo performer while the other races play in the background. But a midterm flips the focus. It’s like watching a band or symphony where each instrument takes center stage at different times throughout the song. Midterms spotlight dozens of local and state races where hundreds of candidates take turns singing or playing their own tune. The voting results are often more eclectic and diverse than the outcome of a presidential election.
The buzz and excitement of such sweeping change in so many different races attracts more people to the polls than a typical hum-drum midterm. This force was so strong in the 1894 midterms that Republicans gained an unprecedented 130 seats—the largest pickup in history. Putting aside party politics, The Washington Post printed a patriotic assessment of the strong voter turnout:
“The result…throughout the country yesterday showed that government was never more in the hands of the people than it is in America now…. The people are in power, and they have shown it. That is what it means.”
The same could be said today. This year’s elections are about patriotism because government will be more in the hands of the people at all levels than before. The people will be more in power. And in America, what’s could be more patriotic than that!
Benjamin Franklin described liberty this way: “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.”
Voting is the peak of patriotism because it is a way for men and women to speak and think freely. It’s a way for you to express your views. At heart that’s what this election—and all American elections—are all about.
By Jane Hampton Cook
Published November 01, 2010
Monday, October 22, 2012
American Freedom
"The meaning of America is not to be found in a life without toil. Freedom is not only bought with a great price; it is maintained by unremitting effort". Calvin Coolidge
Monday, October 15, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
American Patriotism
“Patriotism is a thing of the heart. A man is a patriot if his heart beats true to his country.” Charles E. Jefferson
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Strive To Make America The Best

Sunday, September 30, 2012
American Liberty
“Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly
with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Of all the so-called natural
human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is least likely to be cheap
and is never free of cost.”
Robert A. Heinlein
Monday, September 17, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
The American Flag

Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Democracy in American
“Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Friday, August 31, 2012
American Jobs

Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Thursday, August 30, 2012
American Imagination
"Liberty : One of Imagination's most precious possessions." Ambrose Bierce, American Journalist
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
American Citizen

Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
American Democracy
"Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be." Sydney J. Harris, American Journalist
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Monday, August 27, 2012
American Astronaut Neil Armstrong
Friday, August 24, 2012
American Courage
“One man with courage is a majority.”
- Thomas Jefferson
- Thomas Jefferson
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
USA Freeedom
Walter Cronkite
Monday, August 20, 2012
American Courage

Friday, August 17, 2012
America's Honor

Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The Essence of America
“What is the essence of America ? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom "to" and freedom "from."
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
National Anthem
Here are some great pictures of the "Shameless Quartet" wearing our Patriotic Flag Shirt style RW029SS.
They sang our National Anthem at a recent Orioles baseball game.
http://www.theflagshirt.com
They sang our National Anthem at a recent Orioles baseball game.
http://www.theflagshirt.com
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I Was Born An American

Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Monday, August 6, 2012
Let Freedom Ring!
“Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!" Samuel F. Smith,America
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!" Samuel F. Smith,
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Thursday, August 2, 2012
USA National Honor
“National honor is national property of the highest value.” James Monroe,
inaugural address, 4 March 1817
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
American Virtues
“Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihood -- the virtues that made America ." -- Teddy Roosevelt
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
American Freedom
Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom. — Albert Einstein
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
UNITED States of America
“Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all!
By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.” John Dickinson
By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.” John Dickinson
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
Monday, July 23, 2012
Patriotic Devotion
Today's Patriotic Quote:
“Only by a deep patriotic devotion to one’s country can there be a hope of the kind of protection of the whole planet.” Margaret Mead
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
“The ballot box is the surest arbiter of disputes among free men. James Buchanan 15th President (1857-1861)
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
American Liberty
Today’s Patriotic Quote:
“The business of America is not business. Neither is it war. The business of america is justice and securing the blessings of liberty.” George F. Will -Washington Post Columnist
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
July 4th Celebration
You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The Flag Shirt.com in the Sun Sentinel
Lord Daniel Sportswear's Brett Stern fills a July 4th order for flag shirts at their Sunrise werehouse and offices. The company sells to Kohls, Sears and other retail outlets and also, direct to consumers via theflagshirt.com. (Taimy Alvarez, Sun Sentinel / June 27, 2012)
From makers of flag shirts to purveyors of fireworks and hot dogs, Independence Day means business, not time off for a barbecue.
At theflagshirt.com, orders have been pouring in so fast that co-owner Stephen Stern said he sometimes makes eight trips to the post office in one day. He can hardly keep up with demand for new flag-printed tank tops that have become a hit with college students nationwide for their retro look.
Stern figures the July 4 holiday accounts for 25 percent to 30 percent of his yearly sales of flag shirts from his website and his Sunrise-based Lord Daniel Sportswear Co. that wholesales to retailers such as Sears . He sells about $5 million in flag shirts a year, even shipping some to Americans abroad.
"When 9/11 happened, sales really went crazy," he said, referring to the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and flag-shirt purchases from the Pentagon and other groups. "And sales are still strong."
At Sky King Fireworks, with 12 stores in Florida, including West Palm Beach and Delray Beach , hiring has been ramping up for weeks to meet July 4 demand. The holiday accounts for roughly 55 percent to 60 percent of the company's yearly sales, said owner Willie Micco.
The West Palm Beach store now employs close to a dozen people, up from a trio in winter. And the number could reach 25 or 30 people by July 3, when store hours are extended from 8 am to midnight, partly to accommodate groups buying together, he said.
"In this economy, a lot of families are starting to buddy up," said Micco. "Instead of one family spending $50, they'll pool their money for the block or neighborhood and spend $500 to $1,000 for a bigger display for the whole group."
At All American Hot Dog Co. in Miami, owner Louis diRaimondo is preparing to don his "Hot Dog King" cape, crown and regalia for media appearances while adding staff for "Hot Dog Month" in July.
His 40-year-old business sells hot dog carts and also serves as a base for vendors. Five years ago, it added its own line of kosher hot dogs made in Brooklyn , N.Y., and sold through distributors and online.
"This is the height of it now," said diRaimundo, who has staffed up to six full-time and two part-time workers for July, about double the number employed during winter.
Of course, July 4 means time off for many, including the stock market, bond market, most banks and government offices.
Yet many stores will be open, offering Independence Day sales and deals.
For beach hotels, now is the time to prepare. With city fireworks to light up the sky nearby, the 261-unit Courtyard by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach expects to be more than 80 percent full for the holiday and attract at least 200 people to its pool deck for festivities, said sales and marketing director Tom A. Miller.
That means buying extra food and drink; informing employees about road closures, sandcastle displays and other news that guests might seek; and adding staff, some for crowd control. Said Miller, for July 4, "We're beachfront central."
Thursday, June 14, 2012
American Flag Day

Let’s make it our goal to preserve the traditions, history, pride, and respect that are due the nation's symbol, Old Glory.
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
Monday, June 11, 2012
World War II American Veterans Honored

Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
http://www.mullerover.com/2012/05/23/what-honor-looks-like-the-flash-mob-at-gate-38-of-reagan-national-airport/
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
“Every
good citizen makes his country's honor his own, and cherishes it not only as
precious but as sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and it’s
conscious that he gains protection while he gives it.” Andrew Jackson
Be Proud
– Be Patriotic – Be American
Friday, June 1, 2012
WWII American Cemetery
Robert Dryfoos, pictured left, from Connecticut
walks with Khalil Diallo through the American
Cemetery in Taquiq, South
of Manila, Philippines on Memorial Day. The Cemetery holds the largest number of U.S.
Military dead from World War II, a total of 17,201, most of who were killed fighting in New Guinea and the
Philippines. May God rest their souls.
Be Proud - Be Patriotic - Be American
Thursday, May 31, 2012
American, Land of Opportunity
“America is another name for
opportunity. Our whole history appears like a last effort of divine providence
on behalf of the human race.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
America...Make It A Good Place To Live
“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live
in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” Theodore Roosevelt
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
"We
must always remember that America
is a great nation today not because of what government did for people but
because of what people did for themselves and for one another." ~Richard Nixon
http://www.theflagshirt.com
Saturday, May 26, 2012
When was Memorial Day First Observed?
Memorial Day was first proclaimed "Decoration Day" on May 5, 1868, and was first observed on May 30th of the same year. The date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of a battle. The holiday was intended to honor the Union & Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War. In 1882 the name was changed to Memorial Day to honor ALL United States soldiers who died in service to our country.
Planting the American Flag
Relatives and volunteers planted the 33,000 flags in historical Boston Common in advance of the Memorial Day weekend, in tribute to Massachusetts soldiers killed in conflicts as far back as the Civil War.
Memorial Day Creation
Time to help veterans get back into the economy
The war in Iraq is over and the one in Afghanistan is drawing to an end. Over the last decade, 2.5 million American men and women fought and bled for our country. Now they're picking up their gear and coming home.
They're facing an America where jobs are still scarce, and where the recession has shuttered thousands of small businesses -- the mainstay of our economy.
Fortunately there's a fresh narrative in 2012: We shall not abandon these veterans, as we did during the Vietnam generation. This time we must ensure that returning soldiers have a future in the democracy they fought to keep free.
But extending emotional and medical counseling is not enough. Veterans must be given opportunities to attain fiscal independence. The need is not in question, but the challenge is how many of us will match our emotional outpouring with actual deeds.
How do we accomplish these goals? It's admirable that the Obama administration announced the formation of an initiative for businesses to join the government in helping veterans. But the challenge is too massive for the government to do it all. We need help from individuals with business experience and a willingness to share it.
Jerry Kramer of Boca Raton is nearly 84, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient in the Korean War , and someone who has been involved in veterans affairs for 50 years. He remembers nearly freezing to death in what is referred to as "the forgotten war." Jerry wants to make sure that today's veterans are not only remembered, but loved.
He remembers returning from Korea in 1952 with no education or means of support, but with an indomitable will to succeed. After years of struggle, Jerry built a thriving construction business and earned a college degree at night. He enthusiastically believes that America is still the land of opportunity and that the doors must be open for today's veterans as they were for him more than half a century ago.
Kramer's goal is simple: Business. Meaning veterans willing to invest time and preseverance can become small business owners. With a large sum of his own money, Jerry founded the Pathway to Business, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Pathway's board includes Gen. Joseph A. Taluto (ret.), commander of the 42nd National Guard Division, who served in Iraq in 2005 and 2006, and Adam Bandici, CPA and estate tax attorney who won awards for his business probity.
According to its website, Pathway was "created for the sole purpose of funding entrepreneurial veterans" through grants once they complete the business training program offered by Pathway's partner, South Palm Beach SCORE. Most importantly, the grant is not a loan, carries no interest, and need not be repaid.
Let's meet Pathway's first recipient of a $40,000 grant. The veteran's name is Fred Pollino, 39, married and father of a 3-year-old boy. Fred was a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, badly wounded in combat, shipped to Germany for rehab, and then back home. Imbued with an American work ethic and an ambition to advance, Fred worked two jobs: one, airline pilot part of the week and, two, cleaning escalators in department stores.
Then he had an idea: A better, quicker and more efficient way to clean escalators. He contacted Pathway -- and the rest will soon be a history lesson in patriotism.
How to encourage more successful stories? First, Pathway needs more veterans with business ideas. Remember, there's no intricate bureaucracy. The applications are investigated and action taken as soon as possible.
Second, Pathway also needs business people, active or retired, to come forward and become involved. And third, Pathway needs donations. The money on hand will not last for long, and Pathway has a grand ambition to help many veterans now and for years to come.
The website is: pathwaytobusinesssuccess.org
Happy Memorial Day! Drive safely. Love America.
Copyright © 2012, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Friday, May 25, 2012
American Ideals
"Tomorrow
will be better for as long as America
keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life." -- Walt Disney
Be
Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
Thursday, May 24, 2012
America Honors Veterans

Forty-five volunteer Guardians and medical personnel will accompany them. This will be the eighth trip with a total of 830 Veterans sent in five years. American Warrior founder Christopher Coutu stated, “This is truly our last chance to honor these members of the Greatest Generation. This is their final wish and we make it a reality.”
Veterans receive a patriotic homecoming upon arrival in Washington D.C. and a motorcycle escort to the World War II Memorial. They will lay a wreath at the Connecticut pillar in memory of those Connecticut veterans who were unable to see their Memorial. American Warrior Days of Honor are free of charge to the Veterans.
Fundraising has been successful with the support of hundreds of Connecticut citizens and organizations. AmericanWarrior is an all-volunteer organization.
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
http://www.theflagshirt.com
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
American The Beautiful
“Here is your country. Cherish these natural
wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a
sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let
selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or
its romance.” Theodore Roosevelt
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
Monday, May 21, 2012
American Sentiment Recognizes Dignity of Labor
“A truly American sentiment
recognizes the dignity of labor and the fact that honor lies in honest toil.” Grover Cleveland
Be Proud – Be Patriotic - Be American
Friday, May 18, 2012
Patriotic Men Are Better Than Gold
Today’s Patriotic Quote:
“Gold is good in it's place, but living, brave,
patriotic men are better than gold.” Abraham Lincoln
Be Proud – Be Patriotic – Be American
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