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Latest — Aug 8, 2025

How to Shape a Politician's Thinking

It is true that things are pretty grim out there. It's also true that one guaranteed way to make them worse is if we all walk off the field. So should this note find you hiding way down under the covers, I get it; we're allowed

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The Power We're Leaving on the Table

I returned home from Wichita. But my baggage did not. Hours were spent with hold muzak and kind, fairly powerless customer service agents. What I needed was someone on the inside. Someone with the heft to get the train moving. The thing with American democracy is that we get to

One of the Most Overlooked Powers Our Politicians Have

When it comes to policy and politics, there's another 'p' word that shapes nearly everything: power. And there's one vital measure of power that easily gets overlooked, but has outsized influence: the power to get stuff done. Specifically, the power to take a flimsy

Three Things We Can Do for America Right Now

Years ago, I helped a friend move. After we'd gotten all the boxes, crates, bins, and coat hangers into his new place, he stood immobile at the door, paralyzed by where to begin. It was impossible to imagine this chaos ever becoming a comfortable little corner of the

What To Do About Congress, In Three Steps

Let's say you're not well pleased about what's been shaking out in Congress. And let's say you want to do something about it. What should you do? First: Focus on where you have influence I might be piss and vinegar about the

How We Can Strengthen Democracy Today

Dear Friend, I am out of the office today for the holiday. But I've rummaged through the archives and found this favorite for you. Keep the faith, Caitie Two Things We Can Do to Strengthen Democracy Today A few insights to set the mood: "The only recognizable

The Art of Not Giving Up

Let's say up front: we're allowed to be discouraged. There is no weakness in that. "There must be those among whom we can sit down and weep, and still be counted as warriors," wrote poet Adrienne Rich. Discouragement is a very human response to

A Powerful Approach to News Consumption

Every day, millions upon billions upon maybe trillions of words are published (and herein are 600 more - just doing my part). If each word were a water droplet, we're getting Niagara Falls rained on us all the time. And mighty though we are, we aren't

Gaining Power from Difficulty

"Nothing he achieved was inevitable," President Obama said in his eulogy of Nelson Mandela. "In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness, and persistence and faith. " There are a few expressions I've

A 5-Minute Democracy Strengthener

Today is all about state legislatures. And if you are thinking, "Well, that's juicy!" you would be correct. But first, let's set the scene. American democracy is like a three-layer cake – let's say it's a coconut chiffon. The first layer