The Heart of America

by Halamandaris, Bill

• ISBN13: 9780757302220
• ISBN10: 075730222X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-01
• Publisher: Hci

Summary

An inspiring and nonpartisan guide to the ten uniquely American attributes that lead to a better life-just in time for elections!America is a great country, a fact that is often overlooked with all the bickering and negativity in our culture today. And what makes us great, states Bill Halamandaris, are ten core values that have always been found in the spirit of the American people: Compassion, Opportunity, Responsibility, Equality, Valor, Ambition, Liberty, Unity, Enterprise, Spirituality. In 10 short chapters, Halamandaris explains why each of these values forms the foundation of our country, from our Founding Fathers to today's popular culture. He then shows how and why each of us should instill these values in our daily lives, not to return to an outdated ideal or to throw back history, but to step forward together into a brave new world.At the end of each chapter, Halamandaris tells the story of 4 to 5 contemporary Americans who are inspiring examples of lives well lived. Some of these people are famous; most are ordinary people who have chosen to do extraordinary things, like the school girl who has served 350,000 meals to the homeless and the man who has made it his business to hire only people no one else wants. The Heart of America is not about philosophy or finger-pointing at either side in the culture debate; it is a call to arms to be the best we can be every day. The Heart of America Foundation is a national non-partisan, nonprofit humanitarian organization whose mission is to teach the values at the heart of America and to help people, particularly children, learn that they can help themselves when they help others. Their programs include: The Youth Ambassador Program uses dynamic, service-minded youth leaders to inspire children in schools around the country to recognize their potential for social service. Heroes of the Heart recognizes and honors individuals and corporations who perform remarkable volunteer services. The Heart Corps offers financial credits for college to middle school and high school students who volunteer in their communities. Books from the Heart finds books that are not being used and distributes them to needy children and school libraries. Speaking from the Heart is a professional speakers bureau of more than 200 active youth and adult speakers, with all proceeds going to charity. The National Community Fund is an umbrella organization that donates to worthy charities promoting public service around the country.

Excerpts

VALOR Margaret Chase Smith The modern retelling of the story of David and Goliath is the story of Joe McCarthy and Margaret Chase Smith. She was slight, dignified and frail with white hair and refined features, looking every inch the school teacher she had been. The first time I saw her I was a boy running the senatorÆs elevator in the U.S. Capitol. I tried to direct her to the public cars until one of my colleagues pointed out she was the senior senator from the state of Maine. Margaret Chase Smith had distinguished herself by being the only woman elected to serve in both houses of Congress. She had served in the House of Representatives for eight years before being elected to the Senate in 1948, receiving the greatest total vote majority in Maine history. She had a solid record and was well-respected by her colleagues for her independence and commitment to public service. She took her job seriously, holding a perfect attendance record in Congress, as well as the SenateÆs all-time voting record with 2,941 consecutive roll call votes. Joe McCarthy was Margaret Chase SmithÆs polar opposite. He was coarse and flamboyant, with a menacing countenance. There was nothing frail or refined about the junior senator from Wisconsin. When McCarthy came to Washington in l950, there was nothing remarkable about him. His primary claim to fame was that he had beat another Republican of some repute, Robert La Follette Jr., in the primary. La Follette underestimated McCarthy and hardly bothered to campaign, apparently thinking his reputation would carry him through. McCarthy won by less than 5,000 votes. In contrast to Smith, McCarthy had no previous Congressional experience and little apparent legislative interest. He arrived in Washington as a great unknown and remained unknown for first three years of his service. He was a run-of-the-mill senator looking for an issue to ride. McCarthy found his cause at a meeting with his advisors in the Colony Restaurant in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the meeting was to find an issue that would carry McCarthy to re-election. After considering and discarding a number of others, the group chose communism. The Alger Hiss trial was then in full swing and attracting a lot of media attention in the United States. Communism had spread to China. About the same time, the Soviets tested their first atomic bomb, raising concern for the communist threat abroad. ôThatÆs it,ö McCarthy is reported to have said. ôThe government is full of Communists. We can hammer away at them.ö Less than a month later, McCarthy tested his strategy before the Republican WomenÆs Club in Wheeling, West Virginia. ôI have in my hand a list of 205 cases of individuals who appear to be either card-carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist Party,ö he said. The speech went over so well and attracted so much attention there was no turning back. McCarthy repeated his assertions on the Senate floor, suggesting the State Departme

---

Excerpted from The Heart of America: Ten Core Values That Make Our Country Great by Bill Halamandaris
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.