How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
Mr. President, we're in trouble. Talk to us about blood and sweat and tears. (9)
Yes, the dissatisfaction is clear. But the real question is, where is that trouble coming from?
Quote #2
In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. (31)
Is it a bird, a plane? No, it's a super criticism, a hefty critique of a citizenry by its President.
Quote #3
Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose. (31)
Notice Carter's use of the past tense (i.e. we've discovered). He's assuming that Americans are aware, at least partially, of this change in values. He's assuming that they have already wrestled with this moral crisis on some level.