250 Years Later, the American Idea Endures

America’s 250th birthday is upon us, and there’s been no shortage of ink spilled over how far our country has come and where it is headed. Over the course of the past year, I’ve been asked by people around the world and across this great nation for my own reflections. Am I worried about the trajectory of the country, given our deep domestic divisions? Do we have what it takes to meet the challenges of the moment, both at home and abroad?

I grew up as a young soldier in the Reagan era with a very definite understanding of the greatness of this country – convictions that have only been deepened by my experiences serving in Congress, as director of the CIA, and as Secretary of State. And as a conservative and a Christian, I’m clear-eyed about man’s potential to do immense good and our inherently fallen nature. I know that there’s no utopia in our future, but I know that it is always in our power to do better. So, I’m confident that, thanks to the remarkable inheritance of our constitutional order and the principles that underpinned our founding, there is every reason to believe this country will continue to thrive – provided we don’t talk ourselves out of the American Idea.

Thanks to the genius of our Founding Fathers, the sacrifice of generations of patriots, and the fortitude of our constitutional order, this upstart nation not only survived for 250 years but also became the freest, wealthiest, and most powerful country in world history. I can’t help but feel that Providence had a hand in this, just as I am firmly convinced that the Judeo-Christian values that underpin our constitutional order have been essential to our nation’s success. Don’t forget: The idea that all human beings are endowed with certain unalienable, God-given rights is a fundamentally Biblical concept, as is the injunction to “put not your trust in princes,” which underpins our understanding that only God is infallible, and government exists to serve the people – not the other way around.

Certainly, our contemporary domestic politics are highly dysfunctional, as they have been so often throughout our history. But I don’t worry so much about political division or polarization, provided it is in the service of a common goal of creating a more perfect union. The danger comes from those who don’t merely criticize America but actively hate this country and everything we stand for. Inasmuch as such figures believe in American exceptionalism, it is only as an exceptional force for evil.

Whether on the extreme Right or the socialist Left, political figures who want to attack the entire premise of the American idea pose a far greater threat to this country than anything Xi Jinping can throw our way. If it comes to a fight with China, America will win if we have confidence in ourselves as a nation; but if we turn against ourselves, we will be lost.

American exceptionalism isn’t just a concept; it is embodied in the civic virtues instilled in successive generations of Americans who built this country and made it great, and who always look forward to an even brighter future. I believe in the next 250 years of American greatness because of the American people and their grit, determination, and character. They run for city council or school board. They sponsor their local Little League team. They organize their church chili cook-off. They start small companies and work their tails off. They protect their families and nurture their children. These are the causes of American exceptionalism, and they do not change, no matter who occupies the White House or which party controls Congress. 

On the world stage, our foreign policy must be based on the conviction that our system isn’t just worth defending – but that America is a blessing to the entire world. The same nihilistic voices that reject our exceptionalism are rooting for us to withdraw from global leadership. This is the road to ruin. Thankfully, poll after poll shows that while Americans may disagree about the specifics of our foreign policy, they still believe in this country and want us to lead. This is who we must listen to, not the keyboard warriors and demagogues talking down the country at every turn.

So as we celebrate our 250th birthday, let us give thanks to God for the miracle of the American Idea and rededicate ourselves to ensuring that the country we bequeath to our children and grandchildren remains grounded in our Founders’ vision of self-reliance and ordered liberty. Only if we lose confidence in ourselves and begin to doubt that we are worthy of what God has bestowed upon us can we lose our Republic. I pray this never comes to pass, and that God continues to bless these United States of America.