What is American Exceptionalism?

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Obama recently said: " I believe in American exceptionalism just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism."

This statement pretty much proves to me that he was not educated by the same history books as average Americans like you and me.  He has no idea what American exceptionalism is.

So, what is American exceptionalism?  It's quite simple actually. Here is the definition:

American Exceptionalism: It's freedom and liberty. That's it. It's freedom and liberty.

The majority of history was full of bondage and slavery. For most of history 90% of the people of any nation lived in poverty with no chance of improving their lives. For 90% of history only the 10% who lived in the aristocracy had a chance at a good education and a well paying job. So the majority of people throughout history have lived under tyranny and despots.

Then along came America where every person was granted the freedom and liberty he or she was born with. The U.S. was the first place in the world where the government did not take away freedom and liberty, and therefore every person had an equal opportunity to succeed in life.

American exceptionalism is the opportunity provided to every person who lives in America because of freedom and liberty. American exceptionalism is not what Obama says: " I believe in American exceptionalism just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism."

American Exceptionalism is not that we are better people. It is not that we are superior people. It is not that we are smarter people. It is not that God loves us and hates everybody else. It is not that God prefers us. It is not that God doesn't prefer anybody else.

It is nothing more than the equal opportunity afforded to all who live among the American borders because our government does not and cannot (and this was ultimately guaranteed by the signing of the U.S. Constitution om 1787) make any efforts to take away our God given rights to freedom and liberty.

Facts about Michigan Governors

Here are some facts about past Michigan governors. Perhaps this will come of use some day in a trivia game. Or perhaps you're a nerd like Rick Snyder and me and just like to know some useless facts.

Here we go:

1. Steven T. mason (1836-1840): Our first governor

2. William Woodbridge (1840-1841): He blamed mason for all states problems, including the $400,000 budget deficet (which pales to Granholms $1.6 billion shortfall).

"Look, if you don't have it, don't spend it," Woodbridge advised. "And if a U.S. Senate seat comes open 14 months into your term, take it. Worked for me."*

3. J. Wright Gordon (1841-1842): Left the state after just 10 months as governor to take a diplomatic post in South America.*

7. Epaphroditus Ransom (1848-50): He was a no-nonsense guy from Kalamazoo who stressed good roads and low taxes. At the time, taxes in Michigan averaged 70 cents per resident.

"You have to keep reminding people that this is a relatively cheap place to live," Ransom suggested. "And you'd better keep it that way. Now, good roads do make it easier for people to leave, so I'd just keep moving the orange barrels around. Creates the illusion of improvements at a fraction of the cost."*

9. Robert McClelland (1852-53): He had the good fortune to be governor at a time, 1852-53, when Michigan was growing so quickly that its public debt was paid off and the state actually ran a surplus.*

"Growth will solve a lot of problems," he said. "But political extremists on either side will cause more. And if you get an offer to become secretary of the interior, take it. Worked for me."*

14. Henry Crappo (1865-1866): He was a lumber baron who was governor from 1865-68. "Say what you think, believe what you say, but talk very little -- and work unceasingly."*

21. Cyrus Luce (1887-90): When he left office Michigan had paid off every dollar of its debt.

"Look to the farms," advised Luce, a farmer who was a major promoter of Michigan agriculture. "People are not going to stop eating. You still got good dirt, lots of water. There's growth there, no pun intended."*

24. Hazen Pingree (1897-1900): Michigan was back in the red.

"I always liked the graduated income tax, but I couldn't sell it," said Pingree. "But then I also wanted to be governor and mayor of Detroit at the same time. Not sure I'd want either job today."*

41. G. Mennen (Soapy) Williams (1949-60): Waged running warfare with a Republican-controlled Legislature over taxes and spending.

"I guess I could have looked for more places to compromise," said Williams. "You've got to get your tax system right. But you've got to look out for the underdogs, too.

"I had about six weeks left on the job when President John F. Kennedy made me an assistant secretary of state. Worked for me."

46. John Engler (1991-2003): A republican.

47. Jenniffer Granholm (2003-2011): A democrat. She lead over a state that went $1.6 billion in debt, watched as the unemployment rate rose to 13.1 percent as a result of high taxes, high regulation,
and otherwise unfriendly environment for businesses. She also raised taxes and added service taxes in an attempt to ballance the budget. Her approval rating was the lowest of any governor in the U.S. at 37% by 2007.

In 2006 she said, "In five years, you're going to be blown away by the strength and diversity of Michigan's transformed economy". At that time Michigan's unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, in November 2009 it was 15.3 percent.

48. Rick Snyder (2010 to ?): A republican. No infomation yet available.

Sources:

* Ron Dzwonskowski, Detroit Free press, Sunday, October 31, 2010, "Ghosts of governors past have advice for next one."
** Wikepedia "Jenniffer Granholm."

Perhaps a good book to read for more Michigan facts is Source material for this column came from a 1987 book, "Stewards of the State," by George Weeks.

Michigan governors

Just for fun I thought I'd list all the Michigan governors. Perhaps this will come of some use during a trivia game or something.

Northwest Territory (see Ohio):

1. Arthur St. Clair 1787 to 1802 (Federalist)

Michigan Territorial Governors:

1. William Hull 1805 to 1812
2. Lewis Cass 1813 to 1831
3. George Bryan Porter 1831 to 1834
4. Stevens T. Mason 1834 to 1835
5. John S. Horner 1835 to 1836

State Governors:

1. Steven T. Mason 1837 to 1840 (Democrat)
2. William Woodbridge 1840 to 1841 (Whig)
3. J. Wright Gordon (acting) 1841 to 1842 (Whig)
4. John S. Barry: 1842 to 1846 (Democrat)
5. Alpheus Felch 1846 to 1847 (Democrat)
6. William L. Greenly (acting) 1847 to 1848 (Democrat
7. Epaphroditus Ransom 1848 to 1850 (Democrat)
8. John S. Barry 1850 to 1852 (Democrat)
9. Robert McClelland 1852 to 1853 (Democrat)
10. Andrew Parsons (acting) 1853 to 1855 (Democrat)
11. Kinsely S. Bingham 1855 to 1859 (Republican)
12. Moses Wisner 1859 to 1861 (Republican)
13. Austin Blair 1861 to 1865 (Republican)
14. Henry H. Crapo 1865 to 1869 (Republican
15. Henry P. Baldwin 1869 to 1873 (Republican)
16. John J. Bagley 1873 to 1877 (Republican)
17. Charles Croswell 1877 to 1881 (Republican)
18. David Jerome 1881 to 1883 (Republican)
19. Josiah Begole 1883 to 1885 (Democrat)
20. Russell Alger 1885 to 1887 (Republican)
21. Cyrus G. Luce 1887 to 1891 (Republican)
22. Edwin B. Winans 1891 to 1893(Democrat)
23. John Rich 1893 to 1897 (Republican)
24. Hazen S. Pingree 1897 to 1901 (Republican)
25. Aaron T. Bliss 1901 to 1905 (Republican)
26. Fred M. Warner 1905 to 1911 (Republican)
27. Chase Osborne 1911 to 1913 (Republican)
28. Woodbridge Ferris 1913 to 1917 (Democrat)
29. Albert Sleeper 1917 to 1921 (Republican)
30. Alex Groesbeck 1921 to 1927 (Republican)
31. Fred Green 1927 to 1931 (Republican)
32. Wilbur Brucker 1931 to 1933 (Republican)
33. William Comstock 1933 to 1935 (Democrat)
34. Frank Fitzgerald 1935 to 1937 (Republican)
35. Frank Murphy 1937 to 1939 (Democrat)
36. Frank Fitzgerald 1939 to 1939 (Republican)
37. Luren Dickenson 1939 to 1941 (Republican)
38. Murray Van Wagoner 1941 to 1943 (Democrat)
39. Harry Kelley 1943 to 1947 (Republican)
40. Kim Sigler 1947 to 1949 (Republican)
41. G. Mennon Williams 1949 to 1961 (Democrat)
42. John Swainson 1961 to 1963 (Democrat)
43. George W. Romney 1963 to 1969 (Republican)
44. William Milliken 1969 to 1983 (Republican)
45. James Blanchard 1983 to 1991 (Democrat)
46. John Engler 1991 to 2003 (Republican)
47. Jennifer Granholm 2003 to 2011 (Democrat)
48. Rick Snyder (2011 to ?)

Some facts (compliments of wikepedia):

1. From statehood to 1966 governors were elected to two year terms
2. From statehood until 1851 elections were held in odd number years
3. The governor of Michigan traditionally receives the courtesy title of his or her excellency, though it has fallen out of use in recent years.
4. More commonly, the governor, as with other elected state office-holders, is addressed as the honorable
5. A new state constitution was drafted in 1850 and took effect in 1851
6. As part of the process bringing the constitution into effect, there was a single one-year term of governor in 1851
7. With the new constitution of 18151, elections were held on even numbered years
8. The constitution adopted in 1963 changed the governor's term to four years, starting in 1967, and are held during mid-term Presidential elections.
9. In 1992, an amendment to the Michigan constitution imposed a lifetime term limit of two four-year terms for the office of governor. John Engler, the governor at the time, was exempt from this rule, and served three terms