It used to be that the United States of America was the land of big ideas. “We choose to go the moon” challenged us as a nation to leave the bounds of earth and set foot on the lunar surface. Today, America has embraced the slogan “just say no” (tip of the hat to the Republican favorite, Ronald Reagan). We don’t want big government, debt or high taxes.

One of our biggest leaps of faith occurred when the U.S. purchased more than 800,000 square miles from the nation of France. The treaty, commonly known as the Louisiana Purchase, more than doubled the size of the US. Many have claimed this was President Jefferson’s great accomplishment (although many Native Americans may disagree).

It may be hard to imagine today, but not everyone was in love with the treaty when it was being ratified. It was argued by some that Jefferson was a hypocrite owing that he was supposedly a strict constructionist in his views on the Constitution, yet looked the other way in conducting the largest real estate deal.

Others worried “foreigners” who came along with the purchase, were unacquainted with democracy and could become citizens, or that the purchase would be a job killer for the people of the northeast. (Makes the old saying “the more things change, the more they stay the same” even more apropos doesn’t it.)

The House called for a vote to deny the request for the purchase, but it failed by two votes, 59–57. The U.S. ended up using $3 million in gold as a down payment, issued bonds for the balance and the rest as they say, is history.

210 years later, it would be difficult to imagine an America that stopped at the Mississippi river. There would have been no California gold rush, Manifest Destiny and no Alamo to remember; which brings us to today.

Just imagine for a moment a country like Mexico or Canada was up for purchase. How would todays Washington handle such an enormous decision?  Would there be screaming matches on cable news outlets about government over-reach?  Blogs expressing fear of tax increases and rising debt?  Tweets about the concerns on what to do with all the people already living there?  Looking back, the Louisiana Purchase seems like a no-brainer, but putting on the glasses of today makes one pause and wonder if America has the mettle to take such a gamble again.

Anthony Walton once said “America’s greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is our belief in second chances, our belief that we can always start over that things can be made better.” Think about how we love to tear down a celebrity or athlete only to cheer them again when they make a comeback (Morton Downy Jr. or Ray Lewis anyone?). Maybe it is a character fault, but taking chances is what made us who we are in the first place.

At the risk of stealing from Dr. Martin Luther King; “where do we go from here?” Do we continue to say no to big ideas and not look ahead? Granted, looking at some of our elected officials, that could be the best choice when all is said and done.