America approaches its 250th birthday facing a confusing and concerning contradiction. At home, the political party that counts the author of the Declaration of Independence as a founding member prefers socialism to capitalism — and by a wide margin, 66% to 42%, according to Gallup.Arguing that the American experiment is over, they are nominating candidates espousing European-style policies. Proponents of this philosophy claim the American century is over, that a “post-American world” is inevitable, and that the 21st century belongs to someone else.Meanwhile, many of the more than a million soccer fans here for the World Cup are finding a country exceeding their expectations.
BIG LABOR TORCHING WORLD CUP TOURISM WITH SKY-HIGH HOTEL PRICES AND LOOMING LAYOFFSVisitors are posting viral videos expressing surprise at the friendliness of Americans, the generosity of strangers, the convenience of everyday life, the diversity of local communities, and the optimism they encountered.Based on years of unflattering media portrayals, many of the visitors have been pleasantly surprised — and not just by free soda refills. They have found neighbors eager to help, families welcoming visitors into local traditions, small businesses proud to serve guests, and communities excited simply to share their country.Just as revealing an aspect of those posts is what they were not about.Very few of the viral content involve CPSAN programming, congressional deliberations, or even commemorative events celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Instead, they talked about Buc-ee’s. MLB stadiums. Texas BBQ. Waffle House. They discovered that America’s greatest export is the lived experience of American society itself.Nearly two centuries ago, the French diplomat Alexis de Tocqueville described the “great experiment” of America. Traveling across the young republic, he concluded that America’s greatness did not arise from Washington. It arose from the habits, associations, faith, entrepreneurship, volunteerism, civic institutions, and character of ordinary Americans. The genius of America, he observed, lived not in its bureaucracy but in its people.That statement is just as true in 2026 for soccer fans as it was in 1831 when Tocqueville arrived at — as it was at the Declaration of American Independence in 1776.For 250 years, no nation has contributed more to the advancement of human freedom, prosperity, innovation, and opportunity than the United States of America. Our republic demonstrated that free people could govern themselves. Our Constitution became the model for democracies around the world.Along the way, American entrepreneurs built a transportation model that expanded a country westward, created life-saving drugs that doubled life expectancy, and developed the computing technology that transformed modern life.American soldiers liberated Europe from fascism, defeated Soviet communism, and preserved a world order that enabled unprecedented global prosperity. Even nations that often criticize America have benefited enormously from the stability, security, and open markets sustained by American leadership.Meanwhile, the economic gap between Europe and America continues to widen. GDP per capita, a statistic measuring the total economic output of a country divided by its total population, was roughly twice greater in the U.S. than European Union in 2024. Our poorest state is close to surpassing Europe’s largest economy.As one Dutch soccer fan told the Wall Street Journal, “people are so rich here. I think that’s why they can be so nice.”The contrast reflects more than numbers. It reflects differences in innovation, entrepreneurship, investment, labor markets, and the dynamism of the American economy.The future of American leadership is not in diplomatic summits, international conferences, and certainly not in the bureaucratic quagmire of Washington, D.C. It will be determined by whether Americans continue to build businesses, strengthen families, and preserve the culture of liberty.For 250 years, American leadership has rested on the remarkable ability of a free people to create opportunity, solve problems, welcome newcomers, and renew the promise of self-government. The visitors here this summer for the World Cup understand and appreciate this concept, even if some leftist politicians don’t.THE WORLD CUP REVEALS AMERICA’S REAL STRATEGIC POWERThe next American century will not begin because the government declares it.It will begin because our people do.Gentry Collins is the CEO of the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce and the former national political director at both the Republican Governors Association and the Republican National Committee.
