Americans are hard working, innovative, proud people who want bad

The Spirit of Labor and the Dream of Freedom

In the chronicles of nations, there are few peoples whose identity burns as brightly with the flame of self-reliance as that of the American. The statesman Tim Walberg spoke this truth with clarity and conviction when he said: “Americans are hard working, innovative, proud people who want bad government policies and high taxes to get out of the way so they can take care of their families and pursue their dreams.” These are not the words of politics alone, but of heritage and character—the echo of centuries of toil, courage, and hope that shaped a people who believed that liberty, not comfort, is the soil from which greatness grows.

From the earliest days of the republic, the American spirit has been one of striving—of men and women who carved their lives out of wilderness, who labored not for privilege but for promise. The pioneers did not ask the earth for mercy, nor the government for guidance; they trusted instead in the strength of their own hands and the brightness of their own vision. The farmer tilling his soil, the craftsman perfecting his trade, the immigrant arriving with nothing but courage—each embodied this sacred faith: that with freedom, work, and ingenuity, one could forge a better life.

Hard work is the altar upon which this faith was built. It is the belief that effort gives life meaning, that dignity is found not in ease but in endeavor. Innovation is its twin virtue—the refusal to accept the world as it is, the relentless drive to make it better. Together, these have created miracles: the railroads that spanned a continent, the machines that lifted industry, the networks that bind the modern age. Yet beneath every invention, every enterprise, there beats the same simple rhythm—the heartbeat of a free person, laboring with pride, unchained by oppression or needless burden.

But Walberg warns of a shadow that can dull this spirit: the weight of bad government policies and the drain of high taxes that stifle the will of the people. When rulers forget that their purpose is to serve, not to control, they build walls where bridges should stand. The ancients knew this danger well. In the decline of Rome, when taxes grew heavy and power grew distant, the once-proud farmers abandoned their fields, and the empire’s heart decayed. A government that smothers its citizens’ freedom to create and care for their own weakens the very foundation of the state.

Look to the story of the American Revolution, born not from hatred but from conviction. Ordinary men and women, weary of distant decrees and unjust levies, rose to claim their right to live by their own labor and their own conscience. They dreamed of a land where no king nor bureaucrat could steal the fruits of their work or the joy of their destiny. Out of that struggle emerged a nation built on self-determination, a covenant between liberty and responsibility. Walberg’s words remind us that this covenant is not history—it is duty, renewed in every generation.

Yet his message carries not anger, but faith in the people. He believes, as did the Founders, that ordinary citizens—fathers, mothers, builders, thinkers—possess within them the genius to sustain both family and nation if only they are free to act. The family, he says, is the cornerstone of prosperity, the seed of all stability and virtue. When people can work, dream, and care for their own, the entire society flourishes. But when burdens multiply and freedom wanes, the wellspring of innovation dries up, and the light of pride dims.

So let this truth be spoken to all who listen: a nation’s greatness is not crafted in the halls of power but in the hearts of its people. Let government serve lightly and freedom shine brightly. Let each man and woman labor with purpose, create with joy, and dream with courage. For it is not through decrees that civilizations endure, but through the spirit of those who believe in their own power to shape the world.

Therefore, remember this lesson, my children of liberty: Work hard. Dream boldly. Protect your freedom as you protect your home. Let no weight of policy or power steal from you the sacred right to build, to provide, and to hope. For as long as men and women cherish their independence and honor their labor, the spirit of America—indeed, the spirit of humanity—shall remain unbroken.