| | | | | Credit: Larry French/NCAA Photos via Getty Images | | | What Washington is Talking About: Fireworks on the National Mall begin at 9:09 p.m.
What America is Talking About: Celebrating its 242nd birthday
14 Things to Love About America: HBD, USA | | | What Washington is Talking About:
The National Independence Day Parade is today at 11:45 a.m. down Constitution Ave., and fireworks on the National Mall begin at 9:09 p.m.
What America is Talking About:
Celebrating its 242nd birthday.
14 Things to Love About America:
America hasn't had the smoothest 2018. We're heartbroken by violence, fed up with lying politicians, and creeped out by how much our social media services know about us. We seem helplessly divided and patriotism is down. There's a lot to be discouraged about, I get it. But here are 14 things to celebrate this Fourth of July. I'd love to hear your favorite things about America, too. Email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com. | | 1. We're the oldest democracy in the world: No other democratic country on Earth today uses an older constitution than the United States. What a streak, man, let's keep it going.
2. Our National Parks: I know that Iceland and Costa Rica are ~all the rage~ for travelers these days, but have you seen America?!? The National Park System, founded in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, operates more than 84 million acres of land across 417 parks. I'd put our parks and natural beauty up against any other country in the world. America, you're gorgeous. A 10/10. | | Credit: @yellowstonenps/Instagram
3. We have the best pop stars: You're probably thinking, of course Hunter put pop stars on the list. But truly, name another country responsible for the kind of pop stars America produces. Madonna, Michael, Beyoncé, Britney, Kanye, Gaga, Taylor, Ariana. The world stands for American pop stars. Bow down. | | Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella
4. We're more supportive of free expression than any other country on Earth: It helps that it's written into our First Amendment. The United States ranked highest on the World Economic Forum's 2016 free expression ranking.
5. One out of every five Americans has attended a political protest or event: Not only do Americans support free expression, they put it to the test, too. Twenty percent of American adults attended a protest, rally, campaign event, or demonstration within the past two years, according to an April 2018 Washington Post poll. | | Credit: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
6. About 62.6 million Americans volunteer annually: The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated between September 2014 and September 2015, about 20% of all Americans volunteered through or for an organization at least once.
7. We cross party lines to help each other out: Case in point, One America Appeal, the organization supported by every former living president, raised $42 million for the victims of the 2017 hurricane season. | | Credit: Rick Kern/Getty Images for Ford Motor Company
8. Most Americans donate to charity: A December Gallup poll found an incredible 75% of Americans donated to a secular charity in 2017, and 52% donated to a religious charity.
9. We gave more than $700 million to help disaster victims last year: The American Red Cross received $518.8 million in designated donations for Hurricane Harvey response, $96.7 million for Hurricane Irma response, $71.4 million in Hurricane Maria response, and $28.8 million for California wildfire response.
10. We still make some of the biggest movies in the world: In 2018 alone, we put out "Avengers: Infinity Wars," which grossed more than $2 billion and "Black Panther," which grossed $1.3 billion. They're both among the top ten all-time worldwide box office hits. | | Credit: Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images for Disney
11. More women than ever are running for office: The US is ranked 102 when it comes to the percentage of women in our legislature, according to Inter-Parliamentary Union, but that could change. A record 391 women have or are running for US Senate, House, or for governor this year, according to Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics.
12. We're undisputed Olympic champs: Team USA has won 2,820 Olympic medals, more than any other country. And 1,128 of them were gold. U-S-A! U-S-A! 🇺🇸 | | Credit: Loic Venance/AFP/Getty Images
13. We attract some of the best and brightest from around the world: A study from the Center for American Entrepreneurship found that 43% of companies in the Fortune 500 were founded or co-founded by either an immigrant or the child of an immigrant.
14. We strive to be better: America doesn't always live up to its ideals, but there are examples throughout our history when we acknowledge our flaws and promise to do better. I love that about us. In Abraham Lincoln's message to Congress in 1862 -- where he called the US "the last best hope of earth" in the middle of the Civil War -- he spoke about uniting a divided country: "It is not 'Can any of us imagine better?' but, 'Can we all do better?' The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country." | | | Happy Independence Day, guys. Have fun, be safe, and I'll see you back here tomorrow. | | | | | | |
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