America turns 250 years old this summer. Across the country, families will celebrate — take out the old Betsy Ross flag, watch local parades, and be part of this historic moment.
We should be very proud of that. After all, America is the only country that was founded on the promise that every person has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The American Dream is the freedom to build a meaningful life through hard work, responsibility, and self-government — without government deciding outcomes for you. But while we celebrate America’s successes, we also need to be honest about a troubling reality: Too many Americans are losing faith in the American Dream.
Take a look at this Gallup poll: In 1990, almost 90% of Americans were proud or very proud to be American.
Today, that number is barely above 60%.
What’s more, now 70% of Americans think the American Dream is no longer possible.
Some politicians are saying American values like rugged individualism and self-reliance aren’t the way to go, that we must rely on the government and embrace the “warmth” of collectivism.
But government is not the answer to our problems. That’s not what built America and made the American Dream possible.
Let’s be honest: It’s easy to see why Americans believe the system is working against them to keep the American Dream out of reach.
Many Americans work hard and play by the rules, but still can’t get where they want.
They feel that because:
They think they’ll never be able to own a house, as regulations make it impossible to build new ones, forcing prices to keep going up.
It’s hard to start your own business and be financially independent because of a slew of outdated regulations.
People are one accident away from losing their savings thanks to our costly and overly bureaucratic health care system.
The education system feels more like a trap than a path to building your American Dream.
They see there are two different sets of rules, one for well-connected people and one for everyday Americans.
When people think the deck is stacked against them, they’ll start looking for other answers. For some, government help might sound appealing.
But they’ve got it exactly backward.
The American Dream falters when government moves beyond its proper role to secure freedom and starts managing outcomes — crowding out the responsibility and initiative that make opportunity possible.
The solution to that problem is very simple: Get the government out of the way and trust the American people.
We know this works because we’ve done it before.
[Get to know the stories of Americans who defied the odds]
Americans are driven, committed, hardworking, and entrepreneurial, and when they set out on a mission, they get it done.
Take Abraham Lincoln. Born in a log cabin in Kentucky to a family that had almost nothing, he taught himself to become a lawyer, got elected to Congress, became the leading voice against slavery, and ultimately saved the Union and abolished slavery as president, fulfiling the moral truth upon which our nation was founded: That everyone was created equal and are capable of self-government.
Lincoln’s life showed that ordinary citizens, guided by conviction and character, can rise to meet extraordinary moments in history.
Or look at the Wright Brothers, two bicycle shop owners from the Midwest who dreamed of human flight. Everyone said it was impossible. They bet everything and failed repeatedly, but eventually built the first airplane in human history.
And look at Thomas Edison: a man of humble beginnings, with little formal schooling and no fancy connections in high society. Through grit and relentless trial and error, he invented the light bulb and phonograph. He failed thousands of times, but he kept going and changed the world.
Americans are just as relentless and driven as they were back then.
We just need to give people the freedom to follow their dreams, and the people will do incredible things.
As America celebrates 250 years, will we be the generation that lets the Dream die? Or will we fight for the principles that made it possible?
We don’t need more programs that claim to help but actually hurt. We need to tear down the barriers and create more economic freedom for all Americans.
But most of all, we need you.
The American Dream has always been carried forward by ordinary people who understood the principles behind it.
As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, take one small step to reflect on what the American Dream means — and how freedom makes it possible.
Share your story. Learn the principles. Help carry them forward.
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