The Federal Government Botched the Bicentennial Too
The upcoming America 250 celebration is facing criticism for its planning and execution. Many believe it is being poorly managed, drawing comparisons to the 1976 Bicentennial. Historical reflections suggest that the previous celebration also faced significant challenges despite its eventual success.
- ▪There is bipartisan dissatisfaction regarding the planning of America 250.
- ▪Critics have mocked the proposed talent for the celebration, highlighting a lack of musical acts.
- ▪The 1976 Bicentennial was not initially seen as a success, facing its own set of challenges.
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America 250 The Federal Government Botched the Bicentennial Too There's a lesson laying there: Make it local, embrace the commercial, and ignore the president. Matt Welch | 6.1.2026 8:23 AM Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google Media Contact & Reprint Requests <img src="https://d2eehagpk5cl65.cloudfront.net/img/c800x450-w800-q80/uploads/2026/05/Rocky-1976-800x450.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto" width="1200" height="675" title="Carl Weathers in "Rocky"" alt="Carl Weathers in "Rocky" | Illustration: Rocky (1976)/MGM/Midjourney" /> (Illustration: Rocky (1976)/MGM/Midjourney) There is a growing bipartisan consensus that the state of our semiquincentennial is FUBAR.
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