Optimism has always been part of the American character. Not the wide-eyed kind, but the hard-earned kind – shaped by centuries of weathering storms, righting wrongs and renewing our commitment to the principles that built this nation. Our founders didn’t give us a perfect country. What they gave us was something more enduring: a framework. A Constitution built to guide us, challenge us and, most importantly, hold us together when things feel like they’re coming apart.

And let’s be honest – lately, things do feel like they’re coming apart.

We’re living through a time of immense change. Social norms are shifting. Institutions are under pressure. Political discourse has turned sharp and unforgiving. For many Americans, it feels like the ground beneath us is moving, and not always in the right direction.

It’s no surprise, then, that voters have looked for something different – something disruptive, even. The rise of an unconventional president wasn’t accidental. It was a choice. A deliberate decision by millions of Americans who felt that the country was drifting away from its foundations, and who wanted to pull the wheel sharply back toward sovereignty, order and a return to first principles.

That decision, as we’ve all seen, has brought its own kind of turbulence. The president’s style – blunt, combative, unapologetically outside the norms – has shaken up long-standing diplomatic relationships and domestic policies alike. Take NATO, for example: For decades, U.S. presidents have urged our European allies to carry more of the defense burden. Few listened, until now. Sometimes, it seems, disruption does get results.

On the home front, immigration has come to dominate headlines. The influx at our southern border has reached levels that defy reason, and the administration’s forceful response has split public opinion. Some call it overdue. Others call it unconstitutional. But one thing is certain: The question of executive power and its limits is back on the table.

And the world is watching. In March, French Sen. Claude Malhuret took to the global stage with a blistering critique, calling the U.S. president an “incendiary emperor” and comparing Washington to “Nero’s court.” His remarks struck a chord in Europe and beyond, not just for their fire, but because they reflect a deeper fear: that America, long seen as a steady anchor for the democratic world, is now drifting.

Whether one agrees with Malhuret or not, his speech reminds us of something important. The world still takes its cues from America. And when we appear divided or uncertain, it sends ripples far beyond our shores.

So where does that leave us?

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Our founders didn’t give us a perfect country—

they gave us a system strong enough to fix what breaks.

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Here’s the good news: Our Constitution still works. It hasn’t lost its power, and it doesn’t depend on who’s in office. Congress still holds the purse strings. The courts still interpret the law. And “we the people” still have the final word – if we choose to use it.

This isn’t a moment for despair. It’s a moment for reflection. For civic engagement. For rediscovering the principles that brought us here in the first place. Freedom. Responsibility. Balance. Respect for the rule of law. These aren’t just words in a textbook, they are the lifeblood of the American experiment.

Yes, we are divided. Yes, the road ahead looks rocky. But if history teaches us anything, it’s that Americans have a remarkable ability to find their way forward – not by shouting the loudest, but by leaning into what unites us.

As publisher, I’ve seen firsthand how hungry people are for thoughtful conversation, not spin. I believe newspapers still play a critical role in helping communities make sense of the moment, hear each other more clearly and remember who we are.

We may not all agree on the path forward, but we can agree on this: Our strength lies in the system we’ve inherited, and the responsibility we all share to preserve it.

We’ll keep doing our part. I hope you’ll keep doing yours.

Quotes From the Bible

 “Where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” — Proverbs 11:14

This verse speaks to the value of balanced leadership and the importance of checks and counsel.