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Vice President Vance is catching attention after saying that too many Democrats don’t show enough gratitude for America.
“It doesn’t bother me that Democrats disagree with our policies,” Vance said. “It bothers me that they are just terrible people, so many of them. But what really does bother me is that they don’t show gratitude for the United States. If you don’t feel grateful to live here, what are you doing in public service? Too many Democrats don’t show appreciation for the country.”
I disagree with the suggestion that questioning the country, or pointing out its shortcomings, somehow means you don’t appreciate it.
For a lot of Americans, patriotism has never meant blind loyalty. It has meant believing this country can be better. In fact, some of the biggest advances in American history came from people who loved this country enough to challenge it.
Social Security was signed into law in 1935, creating a safety net for older Americans during the Great Depression. Medicare and Medicaid followed in 1965, extending healthcare access to seniors and low-income families. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped dismantle legal segregation and protect the right to vote. Labor protections, food-safety standards, workplace regulations, and equal-pay laws all came after Americans organized, protested and pushed their government to do better.
Many of those efforts were championed by Democrats, often facing significant opposition from the GOP along the way. Whether you agree with every policy or not, the goal behind them was rooted in a belief that America should live up to its promises of opportunity, fairness and equality.
We’re approaching America’s 250th anniversary at a moment when patriotism itself seems to be changing.
Several recent polls paint a complicated picture. Gallup found national pride has fallen to one of its lowest levels on record. NBC News reports that many Americans believe the country’s best days may be behind it. Pew Research Center finds widespread dissatisfaction with the nation’s direction. And surveys show younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly skeptical that the American dream is even attainable.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Americans love their country less. It may mean they’re wrestling with what patriotism looks like in a time of political division, economic uncertainty and declining trust in institutions.
To me, showing patriotism doesn’t mean cheering for every decision made by the government. It doesn’t mean staying silent about problems. In a democracy, pointing out what’s broken and demanding better is often one of the most patriotic things citizens can do.
We’re less than two weeks away from celebrating 250 years as a nation. That’s a milestone that should be bringing Americans together around our shared history, our progress and our future. Instead, we’re allowing a UFC clown to insult a former first lady without any public condemnation from the president or VP. We’re calling democrats dumocrats on truth social.
Maybe the better question isn’t whether Americans are grateful. Maybe it’s how we can channel that gratitude into building a country that more people believe in.
Because loving America and wanting America to improve have never been mutually exclusive ideas.
Lindsey Granger is a NewsNation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary.
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