OPINION:
The White House has established a task force to develop the framework for America’s 250th birthday, with July 4, 2026, as the named day for “a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion” of the 1776 adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence.
And that should scream unity. But in this hot political climate filled with leftists who’ve infiltrated the Democrat Party and shoved their Marxist, socialist, communist agendas onto the American people — well, even something as simple as a birthday celebration for the United States will be exploited by some for unsavory, unAmerican purposes. In this hot political climate — beware the Democrats.
The Democrat Party of modern day is not so much pro-America as ‘destroy America.’
As such, it’s crucial to have the right people involved in this task force.
It’s imperative the individuals who serve to create the celebration are those who understand American Exceptionalism, and from where American Exceptionalism comes. That means few Dems; that also means historians and scholars and other potential Semiquincentennial Commission members should be carefully vetted.
After all, look at what they did, and continue to do, to the Gipper: “The typical liberal line today is that [Ronald] Reagan was right on the Cold War, but his domestic policy was a train wreck,” as Claremont Review of Books wrote.
Reagan was an idiot. Reagan was mentally jumbled. Reagan was uncaring. Reagan was cold. Reagan was — fill in the blank with whatever negatives come to mind.
But as noted and esteemed Reagan historian Craig Shirley said, “I was in the room with Reagan many, many times. He was always the one person in the room who was the moral, physical and intellectual leader.”
What a difference a historian makes.
So goes Reagan history; so, too, will go Trump history; so, too, America’s 250th.
Think of that same skewing taking place with America250.org, that organization tasked with orchestrating the coming American birthday. We can either cheer American Exceptionalism — the concept of individualism, and individual rights as they come from a Creator, and all the prosperities and successes and creative geniuses and advances in society and science and entrepreneurial endeavors that come with that definition of exceptionalism, i.e., God-given rights and liberties — or we can do it the Democrat way and denounce it.
Smart vote’s on unifying on the core greatness of the country.
The White House has already put out a statement naming the president and vice president — Donald Trump, J.D. Vance — as the chair and vice chair of Task Force 250. Additionally, the secretaries of the various cabinets and several key agencies and offices have already been named as Task Force 250 members.
But still to be named is the executive director to “administer and execute the day-to-day operations of Task Force 250,” The White House reported. The America250 website lists Jennifer Condon as interim executive director. Her biography lists her as experienced in public affairs, communications, development, project management and in various leadership positions, including with America250.
But go big or go home.
America’s 250th, with Trump as president and the spirit of MAGA coursing heavily throughout the country, ought to be a joyous reawakening of the very principles that have led us down a path toward exceptionalism since birth — since Birthday Number 1 — while also touching on the memories of the great ones in U.S. history who’ve represented, by word and deed, those very same ideals. Shirley, who’s written several bestselling historical accounts of Reagan — who remains one of the few historians who supports Trump and sees the greatness of the 47th president — who even more importantly understands and cherishes the concept of God-given freedoms and rights that Founding Fathers wove into our national DNA and system of governance — Shirley would be the bigger voice for such a grand celebration. He’s a personal friend. But more than that, he gets it — he gets the greatness of America, from its beginning days to its place in today’s world.
So does Trump.
And with the right people making the party plans, July 4, 2026, will be one heck of a birthday celebration for a country that is still the best nation in the world.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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