Citizenship

The value at the heart of citizenship and Americanization policy is exactly that: citizenship. We have to realize that the idea of citizenship as a core American value and citizenship as a legal definition must not be detached from one another. The unique virtue of American citizenship is that it is centered around the embrace of core American values and principles. For newcomers, it would include the renunciation of foreign allegiances, and for all Americans it means becoming part of our national community.

Patriotism

New citizens, whether children or immigrants, should be proud to be Americans. We should teach people not just about the facts but also about the values and principles of American history and civics. We should never white-wash the truth -- such blindness to reality is the opposite of patriotism. Rather, our education should engage people's reason, leading them to reach their own understanding, to honor the best in our national identity and understand the imperfect. An emphasis on patriotism is precisely what will allow us to create future generations of civic minded leaders, motivated by a deep love of the American nation and inspired to continually improve upon its principles of human liberty and freedom.

National Unity

To protect America’s unique civilization by insisting that our children and new Americans have a thorough understanding of American history, especially the role of the founding fathers, and a commitment to the perpetuation of American civilization.

· # of intensive English instruction courses and federal, state, and local money supporting English instruction programs

· # of federal government documents printed in foreign languages

· # of foreign languages in which U.S. ballots are printed

· # of U.S. citizens voting in foreign elections

· # of U.S. citizens serving in foreign armies and governments

· # of U.S. citizens who use foreign passports

· # of top 100 national universities, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report that require at least one course in American History.

· # of states that require high schools to have American history and government courses as a part of their graduation requirements.

· # of cities and towns each year have an annual reading of the Declaration of Independence in town square each July 4^th

· # of federal lawsuits against private employers for requiring that their employees speak English on the job

· % of new high schools that are named after our founding fathers and American presidents

· affordability of citizenship application fees

· % high schools, universities and graduate programs that allow ROTC and military recruiters on campus

· Improvement or decline on the NAEP report card on knowledge of American history and civics

· # of States having as a high school graduation requirement the passing of an exam in American history.