By: Paul Ryan
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In an op-ed published in the Wisconsin State Journal, former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan shared his thoughts on America’s past, present, and future as the nation marks its 250th anniversary.
We mark a milestone this week that once seemed impossible: the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
Two and a half centuries ago, a band of idealistic rebels shook the world order, toppled an empire, and gave rise to a system of government that has generated more peace and prosperity than any before it.
We owe those patriots a debt of gratitude—not just for their courage, but for their vision, because at its core, our nation was founded on a precious thing: The American Idea.
It is the radical belief that our rights don’t come from government. They come from nature and nature’s God.
Our Founders knew that the government’s job is to preserve those rights. This idea is both simple and profound. It gave us the rule of law, our system of checks and balances, and a free enterprise system that has lifted millions out of poverty.
Because of these principles, the condition of your birth does not determine the outcome of your life. In America, your zip code isn’t your destiny. I’ve lived this myself. My own journey—from mowing lawns in Janesville to serving as Speaker of the House—could only happen here.
America’s history has never been a straight line. Every generation faces a test—whether it’s a fiscal crisis, the trials of World War, or rapid technological change. We have consistently passed these tests because of an indefatigable spirit and a deep-seated optimism.
At every crossroad, our institutions have persevered. We have emerged stronger. And I know that if our founding principles remain our North Star, America will remain a beacon of light for a world that can often be very dark.
Today, we hear a lot about what divides us. But the American Idea is bigger than our disagreements, and every citizen has a responsibility to preserve it. So, let’s raise our gaze, remember what unites us as Americans, and commit to tackling our future challenges together.
If we do that – if we stay faithful to the principles that made us exceptional, our best days are most certainly ahead of us, and our next 250 years will be even brighter than the first.
Paul Ryan served as Speaker of the U.S. House (2015-2019) and represented Wisconsin’s First District in the House of Representatives (1999-2019). He is a Partner at Solamere Capital, Vice Chairman at Teneo, and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.