In response to Hurricane Gustav on the opening day of the RNC convention Cindy McCain said "As John has been saying for the last several days, this is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats." I just would like Cindy and John McCain to know many of us never take off our American hats. Our “American hats” are aware of the daily economic, health and environmental hurricanes of…

n 45 million people with no health care and 16 million underinsured in America.

n According to Ted Kennedy “We have 36 million Americans that are going to bed hungry every night. 36 million Americans! And 12 million of those are children!" in America.

n In the first six months of this year, a total of 438,000 jobs have been lost, bringing unemployment to 5.5% in America.

n Melting polar ice hits 'tipping point,' nears record loss in America.

n The national average gas price is $4.09, up 33% from this time last year . Gas prices are now expected to hit “$4.25 by the fall and then stay at more than $4 a gallon until the end of 2009” in America.

n U.S. food prices rose 4 percent in 2007 making it the fastest rise in 17 years in America.

n The value of the dollar is declining: The dollar “has been declining steadily for six years against other major currencies, undercutting its role as the leading international banking currency” in America.

So please Republicans – do try to keep your American hats on more often and help restore America to it’s founding phrase “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

~Thom Hartmann