The image of America that comes to us in daily news broadcasts is a grim one, problems (real and faked), heartache, dysfunction and hardship. That is simply the nature of television news: crisis after crisis, a drumbeat of constant negativism.

Millions upon millions of people in "real" America are enjoying the good things the nation has to offer have come to feel that their positive experiences are somehow the exception. The vast majority enjoy the best country in the history of the world.

As an experiment, try going a month without watching any news. Don't watch the evening news, don't watch local news, don't watch political discussions. You will have a much more positive outlook about yourself and about America!