[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13730]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        AMERICAN IDEALS ADMIRED

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share some good news about 
America's number one export: our ideals of democracy, freedom, and free 
enterprise. This is from a new survey by the Pew Research Center for 
the people and the press. In contrast to harsh criticism often heard 
from U.S. bashers, both here and internationally, this survey of 66,000 
people in 44 countries over 2 years reveals that the majority 
demonstrates strong preferences in seeing democratic governments formed 
in Muslim countries. Also majorities in 33 of the these 44 countries 
believe people live better in a free market, even if it leads to wealth 
and income disparities.
  According to this survey: ``This is not to say that they accept 
democracy and capitalism without qualification, or that they are not 
concerned about many of the problems of modern life. By and large, 
however, the people of the world accept the concept and values that 
underlie the American approach to governance and business.'' This is 
also good news for the people of Iraq.

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