Americans lead the world in tech and innovation because we have the freedom to try new ideas and solve difficult problems.
Today, that freedom is being squeezed by red tape and bureaucracy that make it harder to build, create, and succeed.
That was the message in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Americans for Prosperity activists met with leaders like U.S. Sen. Ted Budd and U.S. Reps. Addison McDowell, Pat Harrigan, and Brad Knott, as well as Fox News analyst Guy Benson, journalist Trish Regan, North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley, State Auditor Dave Boliek, and State Treasurer Brad Briner.
Together, they focused on one goal: protecting the freedom that has made American innovation possible.
Without freedom, there’s no innovation
Just a few hours from Greensboro, the Wright brothers first took flight, a testament to American ingenuity and exceptionalism.
America’s innovation dominance is rooted in a core American value: liberty.
As AFP–North Carolina State Director Tyler Voight put it during the event,
“When people are free, they build. They create. They turn ideas into reality.”
That freedom led to the light bulb, the telephone, and the rise of Silicon Valley.
Red tape is standing in the way
Americans today are as innovative and daring as we were before.
But Washington is making things hard with layers of permits, regulations, and mandates that slow progress before it even starts.
As Rep. McDowell pointed out:
“One of our biggest problems is the amount of red tape that’s coming out of Washington. These regulations don’t work, and just lead to higher prices.”
Rep. Knott put it bluntly:
“The centralized power structure Washington is building is getting in the way of innovation.”
Time to go back to basics
Our Constitution makes clear that government has a limited role in society.
Sen. Budd said America remains a place where innovation can thrive, as long as the government stays in its lane.
“For the government, our job is to protect people’s rights, including intellectual property rights.”
Rep. Harrigan laid it out clearly:
“The government’s role isn’t to create outcomes, but to set the conditions to get people to find their own outcomes.”
These are the principles the founders fought for 250 years ago. They turned America from a set of disparate colonies to the most prosperous country in human history.
These principles work, and they’re worth defending.
A country worth believing in
Despite the challenges, people in Greensboro were filled with optimism and hope for the future.
As Rep. McDowell reminded the crowd, “Our country is exceptional. You absolutely should not be ashamed of that — you should be proud that you live in the U.S.”
We don’t need new answers to build a better future. We need to return to the principles our country was built on.
One Small Step, a growing movement
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, the question is straightforward: Will we remain a country where people are free to turn ideas into reality, or one where opportunity is stifled by bureaucracy?
At AFP, we believe the choice is clear.
That’s why we started the “One Small Step” campaign: We’re mobilizing our grassroots activists across the country to defend and commit to the ideas and values that built America.
Because when Americans are free, they always achieve incredible things.
Join the One Small Step movement and help defend the freedom that makes innovation possible.
