An Antidote to Burnout
In high school, a buddy of mine auditioned for a play with a bit I still remember.
He walked onstage, took off the glasses he'd worn for as long as I'd known him. I can't see a whole lot when I'm not
Topic
Strengthening Democracy
A collection of 26 issues
A Few Minutes for a Stronger Democracy
I have to imagine that "National Thank a Politician Day" wouldn't be a widely celebrated holiday. But let's see if I can make the case for it.
When most of us hear the word politician, what likely springs to mind is a lying, cheating,
Things We Can Ask Our Legislator To Do For Us
On February 7, 2018, then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made one minute last eight hours.
When rank and file members speak on the House floor, they get one plain Jane sixty-second minute.
But House leadership has the privilege of a Magic Minute, where they can speak for as long as the
What Quietly Helps Hold Democracy Together
There's a place where you can take stuff home for free and be trusted that you'll bring it back.
The stuff isn't grimy or second-rate or chaotically strewn about, but systematically organized, updated, and cared for by professionals.
This place also offers other free
The One Note That Can Change a Vote
Today, let's discuss some people who aren't household names, but who can tell us a lot about our role in democracy.
Mark Babin, a licensed pilot and minister, won northern Maine's rural House District 3 seat by 110 votes.
Down in the northeastern part
Two Unconventional Democracy Strengtheners
All kinds of juicy policy stuff is happening right under our noses! And an easy way to get some visibility into the juice is our Unconventional Democracy Strengthener #1:
Sign up for our town or county's newsletter (if they have one).
Mine shows up in my inbox on
If You Want to Know the Future
If you want to really wow folks at parties, tell them you can predict the future...of your town!
This doesn't require a Magic 8 Ball, though that's quite wonderful to have. All it requires is getting familiar with an easy-to-miss local government document called the
An Alternative to Calling Our Member of Congress
One year is 8,760 hours. And of those many hours, let's pull out just four to six of them. Or 0.06 percent of a year. Now let's put that figure on the shelf for a moment.
First, I want to talk about The Question
A Very Handy Tool for Navigating 2024
On a flight home the other weekend, I was reading my library copy of Poverty, by America. And one line came right off the page:
"When we refuse to recognize what works, we risk swallowing the lie that nothing does."
The unceasingly intense drumbeat of headlines, feeds, chyrons,
The Second Most Important Question in Policy Change
The heartbreaking phone calls came to the D. C. office often.
"Can the Congressman vote against this Supreme Court nominee?"
"Can the Congressman expedite the friggin' DMV wait time?"
"Can the Congressman get these numbskulls to stop hunting in my backyard?"
"Can