The Unfinished Work
Essay 2 of a series examining where we are at 250 years
For much of my lifetime, I believed that America, despite all its flaws and failures, was moving steadily toward becoming a more inclusive and just nation. Progress was never perfect. It was never guaranteed. Yet generation after generation expanded the promise of “We the People,” extending rights, opportunity, and dignity to more Americans than the generations before them.
Today, that confidence has been shaken. In this essay, I reflect on the long arc of America’s progress, the forces that have widened our democracy, and why I believe we are experiencing an unprecedented period of democratic and civil rights retrenchment. More importantly, I argue that progress has never been inevitable. It has always depended on ordinary citizens choosing to continue the unfinished work of building a more perfect Union.
This is not simply an essay about politics. It is an essay about stewardship, citizenship, and the enduring question that has defined America since its founding: Who counts?
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