I spent my early adulthood from 18-22 and 24-31 as a Marine. I've found I can't muster up much patriotism anymore. American exceptionalism, even less. I wore the "cloth of our nation" for many years, before, perhaps, some readers of HN were even born. (It's possible!) While I believe that American ideals strive to capture the very highest potential of civilization, my disillusionment is total.<p>I spent a long time in Iraq, and I was part of the federal Hurricane Katrina response immediately after the levees broke. I was a fervent George Bush supporter & believer until I saw what happened in New Orleans, and was a strong opponent after my second Iraq tour.<p>What little faith I had in our elected leaders has been methodically sought out and destroyed by Obama's term in office. The vigor with which politicians will consume each other to the detriment of national interests is... heartbreaking. I foolishly afforded myself a little of "that hope-y, change-y stuff", but our president's ineffectiveness -- either because of his own doing or the resistance in Washington -- has made me regret that.<p>And now, we have Sarah Palins and Michelle Bachmanns running around belittling science, undermining factual rightness, and generally spitting in the face of honesty. Anthony Weiner's weiner was dangled in front of us to distract us from the deficit, and it appears the only bipartisan, bicameral unity our Congress can muster anymore is the belief that an electronic dickshot must be dealt with immediately. The federal deficit can wait.<p>I dunno. Happy 4th, I guess. Fireworks are cool and my kid seems to like the festivities. But for me, I won't be waving a flag around anytime soon. America for me has become, ironically, much like communism: A beautiful ideal that is ruined by greed and power-mongering.