Bush used his Calvin College address to articulate a vision of American society that drew heavily on Tocqueville's observations from the 1830s. He described how the young Frenchman had marveled at Americans' talent for forming voluntary associations — a habit that tyrants deliberately suppressed by isolating their citizens. This passage captured the philosophical core of Bush's domestic agenda: the idea that America's genius lies in the space between pure individualism and state control. He pointed to everything from the Boy Scouts to the Rotary Clubs, from soup kitchens to homeless shelters, as proof that Americans instinctively understand that freedom requires community, and community requires active participation.