As we’re about to turn 250 years old, let’s ask ourselves: Can a divided nation celebrate a united birthday?
The United States will turn 250 years old on Saturday, reinforcing its place as the world’s longest-living republic with a constitution.
It’s a time to pause and reflect on where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going. Two events in Atlanta this week provided those moments to examine our nation’s grand experiment.
The Democracy Defense Project of Georgia brought together four leaders on June 26 at the Temple as part of its ongoing series to encourage bipartisan discourse on the integrity of our elections and voting systems.
Former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin (a Democrat), former U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-District 3) and Michael Thurmond, a Democrat who is a former CEO of DeKalb County, gathered at the Temple to answer questions from Peter Berg, senior rabbi of the Temple.
Themes were similar on June 29 when Todd Groce, president and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society, gave a talk on “The Future of the American Republic: a US 250th Anniversary Perspective.”
Groce said many have lost faith in the institution of democracy, making this a crucial time for the country. Even more reason to make the case of why democracy is preferable to any other form of governance, Groce said.
During both events, I felt a sense of nostalgia for a time when civil discourse, bipartisanship and compromise were more the norm than the exception.
Franklin recalled growing up in Philadelphia.
“My grandmother and mother were Democrats. My grandfather and father were Republicans,” she said. “Our family dinners often involved political discussions.”
The Democracy Defense Project, a national initiative in eight battleground states, launched its first Georgia meeting in September 2024 to address claims of voting irregularities following the 2020 elections. Former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat; and former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican; were part of the first conversation.
Chambliss and Franklin, who were initial Georgia members in the project, talked about leadership.
“One of the best traits of a leader is listening to constituents, colleagues, think tanks before you ever get in front of a camera,” said Chambliss, who spoke in favor of the filibuster to force Democrat and Republican senators to talk. “There’s nothing wrong with Republicans and Democrats sitting down together on issues.”
Franklin said humility is a trait people don’t often recognize. “Humility requires the respect of other people,” she said.
Ferguson said he’s always been interested in bringing people together across the divide – no matter their economic class or political affiliation. One effective way to communicate, he said, is to start a conversation with: “How can I help you?”
Thurmond, who also is a historian and author, challenged the notion that the country is more divided than ever.
Remember 1861 when the nation was in the middle of a Civil War, he asked, drawing laughter from the audience. The most important trait? “Having the ability to listen and not just listen to people who agree with you,” he said.
All agreed it is important for people to have faith in elections and participate in the democratic process.
“Unfortunately, over any number of years, we have had… right here in the state of Georgia, candidates questioning the outcome,” Chambliss said. “We’ve got 159 counties. We’ve got 159 opportunities for mischief.”
But if mischief occurs, Chambliss said the courts can step in and seek redress.
Thurmond then observed that the people who question election results are the candidates who have lost – seemingly longing for the day when losing candidates accepted the outcome.
Georgia is viewed as one of seven battleground states in the country. Franklin remarked how it’s unusual to a Republican Georgia governor, House and Senate at the same time as having two Democratic U.S. senators. Since 1980, the state population has grown from 4 million to 11 million, she said. Much of that growth has come from non-whites.
“It’s a growing state,” Ferguson said. “You see a lot of diversity. Georgia is very dynamic right now.”
Gerrymandering and redistricting also have helped polarize our state. Chambliss thanked House Speaker Jon Burns for how he handled the issue in the special legislative session, which decided to leave it to a future time.
Franklin was drawn to serve on the project because of its bipartisan approach.
“I believe that my voice would be credible because I believe elections have to be fair,” she said after the panel discussion. “Having a bipartisan approach and leadership was a more effective way to advance the conversation.”
After the session, I asked Chambliss to compare today to when he was part of the Gang of 8 (four Republican and four Democratic senators) who were seeking ways to balance the debt and address entitlements.
“It requires deliberations, debates and members of the House and Senate willing to cast tough votes,” Chambliss said. “Our group was willing to compromise. Today, compromise is a four-letter word in D.C. and that’s unfortunate. I’m glad I’m not there.”
In a rare moment of bipartisanship last week, Congress overwhelmingly passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to help with the nation’s affordability crisis. But when the bill was headed to for a scheduled signing ceremony, President Donald Trump canceled the event, saying he would only sign it if Congress would pass his “Save Act” with controversial voting reform measures.
Now both measures are in limbo.
To restore trust in America, Groce said the country must rely on four pillars: a free press; courts and the rule of law; the right to vote; and the Constitution.
When the United States was celebrating its Bicentennial in 1976, the nation had experienced tremendous unrest: the Vietnam War, Civil Rights, social unrest. The bicentennial helped heal the nation.
“At its core, democracy is an invitation for argument, and argument is a prelude to compromise,” Groce said. The 250th anniversary “is an opportunity to do it again.”
For Thurmond, it’s a matter of faith in who we are.
“We cannot lose hope in this American experiment,” he said. “We cannot become captive to this toxic, hyper-partisan political environment. We have to put people before politics. You have got to keep believing. We can’t lose faith.”
