OPINION:
In every generation, there are moments that call a people to remember who they are. Today is such a moment. We are at a civilizational crossroads where we must decide whether America will continue to stand on the firm moral foundations laid by our founders, or drift into uncertainty, loosely anchored only by shifting ideologies and fading cultural memory.
The timing is particularly appropriate, as we are on the cusp of celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday, the semiquincentennial, next year. After two-and-a-half centuries, we still grapple with a profound question at the heart of our independence what does it mean for a nation to truly flourish?
For America, flourishing has never been about material wealth alone. Our founders never talked about mountains of money. From the beginning, our prosperity has been rooted in virtue, in family, in faith and in freedom. This nation was born out of a deep conviction that liberty matters and taxation without representation was a violation of the God-given rights of free people. Economic flourishing, in its fullest sense, for any nation, is not the byproduct of government programs or market forces alone. It is the fruit of a society that prioritizes family and faith, honors personal responsibility, promotes opportunity and rewards hard work.
Our founders understood this well. In his Farewell Address, George Washington spoke of religion and morality as “indispensable supports” of political prosperity and the endurance of our union. John Adams warned that our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. Without these moral foundations, the machinery of our free market and democratic governance cannot sustain itself. Hence, in Benjamin Franklin’s famous words, we inherited a republic, if we can keep it.
Today, the challenges facing our economy are not merely technical but deeply moral and cultural. We see it in the breakdown of the family, in the disconnection of millions of working-age men and women from the labor force, and in a generation of young people both saddled with debt and lacking purpose.
As chairman of the House Values Action Team (VAT) in the U.S. House of Representatives, I believe we have a profound opportunity and a responsibility to confront these challenges. The most effective economic policies are those that honor timeless principles: personal responsibility, stewardship, opportunity and justice. In Congress and the House VAT, we are working to advance policies that reflect my conviction that strong values lead to strong economies. That includes supporting pro-family tax reforms, defending religious liberty for business owners and nonprofits, advocating for rural broadband and infrastructure that empowers local economies, and promoting regulatory reform that frees small businesses and individuals to thrive.
Most recently, in the One Big Beautiful Bill, we worked to make a portion of the Adoption Tax Credit refundable for adoptive families to help ease and promote that important family-building event. These are not just economic tools they are moral commitments. They speak to the kind of nation we want to be.
We also continue to pursue efforts within the 12 appropriations bills to ensure that federal taxes are spent responsibly and in line with the will and values of the American people. For example, the House included provisions on protecting sincerely held views of traditional marriage; defunding diversity, equity and inclusion hiring in the federal government; and maintaining longstanding pro-life protections like the Hyde Amendment.
Congress also passed a sweeping rescissions package to rein in millions of dollars in foreign aid, streamline our foreign policy goals and reduce duplicative efforts. This is a welcome change to our global partners who never wanted the woke foreign policy once tied to the aid they received.
These policy efforts are rooted in something deeper: a belief that economic strength must go hand in hand with moral clarity. A thriving economy is beyond material comfort; it is about whether families can grow, whether young people can find meaningful work, and whether our nation still believes in something greater than itself.
As we look toward the future, I believe it’s time to reclaim the language of flourishing, rather than the language of deficiency. Let’s build an economy where the contributions of Americans define our prosperity, not our consumption. Let’s renew our commitment to building and supporting strong families, enforcing the rule of law, protecting private property, rewarding work and reducing the regulatory burden that stifles innovation and undermines self-reliance.
Most of all, let’s lead with faith. Not a vague spirituality, but the robust belief that our rights come from God, not the government. Liberty is a trust we hold in common and must pass on to our children intact.
Our challenge is great, but so is our calling. Let us answer it not with fear, but with resolve. Not with nostalgia, but with a new determination to build an America where faith, freedom and flourishing walk hand in hand.
• U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt represents Alabama’s Fourth District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee and chairs its Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education, while also sitting on the Agriculture and Defense Subcommittees. Mr. Aderholt leads the House Values Action Team (VAT), a group dedicated to promoting families, communities and religious freedom.
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