Many of former President Donald Trump’s ideas, perhaps most of them, are ill-advised, illogical and often illegal.
But he has come up with salutary one that warrants attention and approval: It’s his proposal to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday, dating back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. His initiative, largely overlooked as more momentous events surrounded him recently, consists of an unprecedented year-plus long bash orchestrated by a president who has been subjected to a great deal of bashing due to unprecedented circumstances of his own making.
But this one is different and more positive. Rather than taking on the “Deep State,” the “fake” media, and everyone else that seems to offer any criticism or opposition to him, this proposed undertaking would be comprised of a variety of patriotic-themed events, culminating in a big blowout in Washington, D.C. on July 4 in 2026 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Announcing the plan on his Truth social media, he described it with typical carnival barker grandiose flair as the “most spectacular” event of recent times. If done right, he might be correct, for a change.
The festivities of Trump’s plan would actually begin a year earlier, Memorial Day 2025, including a number of events such as high school athletes from across the nation participating in the Patriot Games, a mini-Olympics; a year-long “Great American State Fair, with pavilions located at the Iowa State Fairgrounds (why not here in Minnesota?), highlighting each of the 50 states; along with revival of an older Trump idea, the creation of a 1776 commission that would promote “patriotic education” as an counter to the “1619 Project” by the New York Times, which examined the nation’s past through the prism of slavery and systemic racism that Trump has denounced as a “pack of lies” that as taught in schools, constitutes “child abuse.” Another Trumpian throwback would be the “National Garden of American Heroes,” which initially conceived by him through an executive order a few years ago as a collection of monuments honoring 100 historical icons, but never launched and later canceled by President Biden.
Mixed mélange
The 250th initiative is laden with potential for being imbued with conservative, right wing and Trumpian ideology, like the features in the “Heroes” garden, which when initially proposed included a dollop of diversity like Frederick Douglass and Amelia Earhart, but has the potential for extending to Trump acolytes like Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, General Michael Flynn and other pardoned crooks. But it also offers some worthy features. True national patriotism, stemming from history to create a foundation that might help alleviate some of the growing divisiveness threatening to tear the country apart; to disembowel the country. If done properly, the program could not only minimize overcome some of the gaps, but help create jobs and boost the economy.
A similar effort was undertaken in 1987 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Constitution. Justice Warren Burger, a St. Paul native, stepped aside from his position as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court to head the organization, which tried to build upon the success of the Bicentennial celebration eleven years earlier. Despite good intentions, it never really took off, perhaps because it was too academic and cerebral languished in the bowels of bromides.
Similar sesquicentennial
Minnesota tried something similar in 2009, for the sesquicentennial of 150 years of statehood. But that, too, was a crimped affair, restricted by fiscal restraints during hard economic times.
Lacking showcase events, the high water mark was reenactment of 1850’s caricatures, headed by Supreme Court Justice Paul Anderson and colleagues dressed up in the garb of the day.
A 250th anniversary bash, as proposed by former President Trump, could be successful if planned, financed by big-buck sponsors, and executed properly, avoiding the divisiveness and partisanship that seems to be imbued in nearly everything these days.
The ex-president, if re-elected in 2024, could be presiding while the events of the 250th anniversary events are unfolding or, depending upon prosecutorial developments, he could be serving time in prison. If so, maybe he can get some time off for good behavior to lead a march down the Mall in the nation’s capital on July 4th wearing an ankle bracelet.
Marshall H. Tanick is a Twin Cities employment and Constitutional law attorney.
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