By Senator John Thune

The holiday season is upon us, and 2012 is right around the corner bringing new opportunities and challenges for our country. We have the chance in the coming year to show ourselves and the world that the American spirit remains unbreakable. 

Our nation faces high unemployment, a soaring federal debt, and a decline in our global competitiveness, but none of these challenges are too steep for our country to overcome. For generation after generation, American ingenuity and strength have prevailed against the greatest of odds, and our country has thrived.

While Americans are full of promise and ability, the federal government in recent years has stood too often as a roadblock to this signature American ingenuity. Overreaching government bureaucracy and regulations have hamstrung the ability of many of our entrepreneurs and job creators to make investments, add new workers, and ultimately jumpstart the lagging economy.

Unleashing the nation’s entrepreneurial spirit is the surest way to get our economy back on track.

President Ronald Reagan once said, “Don't let anyone tell you that America's best days are behind her, that the American spirit has been vanquished. We've seen it triumph too often in our lives to stop believing in it now.” I believe this statement is just as true today as it was on January 26, 1982, when President Reagan stated these words during his State of the Union address.
 
We are a nation of achievers. We create, we explore, and we lead. As we begin a new year, let us remember the greatness of this nation, and more importantly, where that greatness comes from: her people.  

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