Eyewitness News Goes to Washington: Congressman Richard Hanna's View of America

"America is an exceptional country it has exceptional values. It's still the place that more people would want to be more than any other place in the world. And I want it to be like that again."

When asked of American exceptionalism, he says we are exceptional, but says it takes work to keep us that way.  Congressman Richard Hanna says that's what brings him to Washington.  As we followed the Congressman throughout the day, he told us he is worried about the future, otherwise the former contractor says he's rather be home digging ditches.

"I am concerned about the sense of entitlement the people who aren't as willing to be responsible for the outcomes of their lives. If there's one thing that my parents taught me if that you are the sum total of all the decisions you make."

Although he doesn't blame people for this country's problems, his message to someone who's unemployed and struggling, from the government's point of view - they're on their own.  "Don't wait for the government to fix things... It can't do the things that it wants to do."

As we moved into the rotunda, he discusses his concern about the state of the middle class.  "It's shrinking but it's not just shrinking in population its shrinking in terms of the ability to be who they want to be. Upward mobility is one right I think people should have and when you look at people with disappointment a lot of it's because its gamed they're not a part of it you don't have the opportunity to go do what I've done."

And with the dwindling middle class, Hanna says movements such as occupy wall street are born.

"When you have this dichotomy of extreme wealth and extreme poverty and the middle class shrinking and people's belief in upward mobility disappearing what do you expect? Those are the ingredients for revolution. Big or small."