I spend a great deal of time harping in this space week after week.

I guess that's just what columnists do. I read many other columnists.

They're always harping, too. And it doesn't really matter what side of the political aisle they're on, either. Liberal columnists harp on conservative issues and conservative columnists harp on liberal issues.

Moderate columnists harp on everybody.

I think if all you ever read were editorial columns, you'd come away with the impression that the United States is a pretty glum, problem-ridden place.

Of course, that isn't the case.

Fact is, there are some really positive things happening in our nation.

There are negatives, too, and those are sometimes the easiest things to write about, I guess.

But we really do have a lot to be thankful for these days in the United States.

There are lots of times in history when things weren't nearly so bright.

Despite a couple of irritating hotspots, we are enjoying a very peaceful period. It seems that perhaps civilization - with a few notable exceptions - has learned the futility of war. While civil wars rage in several countries, there is no threat - perceived or otherwise - of another world war. When I was a kid, I remember thinking about war and what it would be like if some other country attacked ours with nuclear weapons. Some people even built fallout shelters.

It's nice not to have to think about war, isn't it?

Right now, in the good old USA, we are enjoying some of the most bountiful economic times in our history. Even the doom-and-gloomers are feeling a little more optimistic. Last summer, when the Asian financial crisis was looming, we heard all kinds of talk about impending economic disaster. Three federal reserve interest rate cuts and some aggressive economic policy-making overseas have calmed the storm of economic uncertainty.

While there is no guarantee of continued economic prosperity, things surely are looking good for at least the near future.

Unemployment is at record lows and corporate earnings are chugging along. Consumer spending is increasing. That shows that people are generally optimistic about the economy. That's always a good sign. The more products people buy, the busier manufacturers are, the more workers earn. ... You get the picture.

We have the most bountiful food supply of any country in the world. How many of us thought about that Thursday as we pushed our chairs away from the Thanksgiving dinner table? We owe a lot to the American farmer, don't we?

The price of gasoline in our country is the lowest of anywhere in the world. People who have traveled in Europe will tell you that fuel there costs around $4 per gallon.

We also are one of the healthiest nations in the world. We have made great strides against all kinds of disease, including the dreaded cancer. Death rates from cancer have been steadily declining for a couple decades while the number of initially reported cases also has fallen slightly over the past few years.

Technological advances in the treatment and diagnosis of heart disease have added years to countless peoples' lives. As a result, the average U.S. citizen is living longer and healthier.

Despite the criticism of education in America, there are more opportunities for young people today than ever before and technology has put the world at our fingertips via the Internet.

To top it off, if you talk in terms of Kosciusko County, all of this plenty is magnified. This would have to be one of the best places on the planet to work, live, play and raise a family.

I am fully aware of all of this and I am very grateful for it.

Of course there is room for improvement. Of course there are things I think we as a nation could be doing better. And I do worry about the future because of my kids.

But generally, this is a great time to be alive and a great country to live in.

Next week I'll get back to the business of haggling over who gets the credit for this greatness and who gets the blame for the problems we have. [[In-content Ad]]