i am a real american {a manifesto}

i believe that we have more in common than we are led to believe

i believe that Jesus meant it when he said "blessed are the peacemakers"

i believe in hard work and a living wage

i believe in compassion, service, and justice

i believe in a free press that isn't for sale

i believe that the common good and what's good for business are not the same thing

i believe in safe, affordable housing, access to health care, and public education

i believe that the health of a nation is inextricably linked to the welfare of its children, elderly, and poor

i believe in giving the hungry a fish, teaching them to fish, and holding polluters accountable for poisoning the water supply

i believe that budgets are moral documents

i believe that humility and admitting mistakes are strengths

i believe that questioning our government is patriotic

i believe that dialogue, discussion, and honest questions trump false choices and easy answers

i am proud of america when she lives up to her ideals and disappointed when she fails to

i am thankful to be an american and thankful for the freedoms we enjoy

i believe that no demographic is more authentically american than any other, and i believe our differences make this country great

i am a real american, and i vote