Whenever disaster strikes North Dakota, we see the spirit that made America great. We roll up our sleeves to help ourselves and our neighbors. We take the initiative rather than waiting for a cavalry from Washington. We are independent, self reliant and nobody owes us.

Compare this to the pathetic scene in New Orleans. People were so dependent on government that they were waiting for government buses to show up at their doorsteps to evacuate them. Later, they resorted to looting. They felt entitled to the property of others because of their situation. Many actually believed that taxpayers should fix their homes. Thousands were evicted months later from rent-free hotels and shelters provided by the goodwill of others.

While Obama joked about handicapped children on Leno and laughed about our 401(k) losses on "60 Minutes," real community organizers were at work. Not engaging in voter fraud and shakedowns like Obama's ACORN, but instead helping people. Local officials, charities and volunteers were at work before FEMA arrived. Some locations had excess volunteers.

Imagine being forced to rely on the incompetent federal government for things like sandbags and sandbagging efforts. That's socialism. Washington intends to force us by law to depend on them for the necessities of life. The residents of New Orleans learned that you can't.

Obama and the socialist Democratic Party intend to crush this spirit of independence with Marxism. They know that when people are allowed to remain free, that this spirit manifests itself and marginalizes their usefulness. Worse yet, it's contagious.

We can't let up yet, but we can take a moment to say bravo to North Dakota for showcasing this spirit to the nation. We are demonstrating what a free people can do. Come celebrate this spirit at our state's Tea Parties on July 4.