DALLAS, TEXAS – Published today, the latest edition of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute, commemorates America’s 250th birthday. Contributors – who range from former refugees and a current Dreamer to diplomats, political strategists, and even a rancher– reflect on what the country means to them and why the idea of the United States continues to matter. Together, they paint a portrait of a place that Abraham Lincoln called “the last best hope of earth.”
The issue opens with Karl Rove examining American identity and offering a passionate defense of the Declaration of Independence. He reminds us of the importance of our founding principles.
Goli Ameri, former U.S. assistant secretary of state and representative to the United Nations, and Carlos Gutierrez, a Cuban refugee and former commerce secretary, bring powerful immigrant perspectives. Ameri, who came to the United States from Iran in 1974, focuses on the unique relationship Americans have with authority and rules. She tells personal stories about getting her first job during the Iranian hostage crisis and later running for Congress and provides firsthand impressions about America’s radical openness. Guitierrez, who fled Cuba in 1960, reminds us that the United States has always been a nation of immigrants – a defining source of its success.
Karen Hughes, key counselor to President Bush and a former U.S. undersecretary of state during his campaign and presidency, grapples with a question that echoes throughout the issue: Does the Statue of Liberty still face outward? America’s greatness, she argues, lies not only in its ideals but in its generosity and willingness to help others in their darkest hours.
Onaba Payab, an Afghan refugee, offers both a tribute to American soft power and a critique of U.S. inconsistency. She recalls learning about the United States through Voice of America and how American educational and cultural exchanges transformed her country. At the same time, she warns that commitments can be reversed when they become inconvenient.
Jendayi Frazer, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs, adds historical perspective, arguing that what makes the United States unique is its capacity for self-correction. She cautions that recent moves in Washington, D.C., risk erasing the hard-won struggles that underpin the nation’s exceptionalism.
A young Dreamer with DACA status, describes America as “the most consequential political experiment in human history.” His essay underscores the idea that Dreamers are part of a long American tradition – and that Congress has the power to resolve their uncertain status.
Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg came to the United States at age 11 and later joined the U.S. military out of a sense of obligation to defend his adopted country. He warns that America’s greatest threats today are not foreign but internal – urging renewed commitment to trust, discipline, and responsibility to one another.
Texas rancher and veterinarian Glenn Rogers focuses on the importance of agriculture to American identity and success. He explains how innovations in farming have helped build national prosperity – an important fact that gets too little attention today.
Closing the issue is Jean-Guillaume de Tocqueville, a descendant of Alexis de Tocqueville, the famous 19th century French writer of Democracy in America. He offers an outsider’s perspective on the American ideal, reflecting on the enduring global resonance of the democratic experiment first chronicled by his ancestor.
To read the full edition of The Catalyst, visit https://www.bushcenter.org/catalyst/the-american-idea-turns-250
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About the George W. Bush Institute
The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day. Learn more at bushcenter.org.
