by jpitney | Jul 9, 2021 | Civic Education, civic virtue, Congress, Debate, Deliberation
Daniel Stid at National Affairs: American politicians must do more to defend our political system. One way to do so is by upholding the range of competing viewpoints as a feature, not a bug, of our democracy. The diversity of views that will inevitably characterize an...
by jpitney | Jul 1, 2021 | Congress, Coronavirus, Deliberation, House of Representatives
Don Wolfsenberger at The Hill: Just before adjournment on Monday, the House Clerk read a letter from the Sergeant-at-Arms declaring, after consultation with the Attending Physician, that the pandemic health emergency remains in effect, thereby extending to mid-August...
by jpitney | Jun 15, 2021 | Bipartisanship, Civility, Congress, Deliberation
Donald Wolfensberger at The Hill: Those supporting ongoing bipartisan outreach… at least have history on their side. According to recent studies by such respected political scientists as Frances Lee and James Curry, in their book, “The Limits of Party” (2020),...
by jpitney | Jun 4, 2021 | Congress, Deliberation, Technology
M. Anthony Mills at National Review: The OTA was designed to help Congress legislate more effectively in these technical policy areas and to hold accountable the executive-branch agencies charged with science and technology policy-making. What early advocates of...
by jpitney | May 28, 2021 | Deliberation, Democracy
At The Harvard Gazette, Liz Mineo talks to Jane Mansbridge: GAZETTE: How might we get citizens who are so polarized to listen to one another? MANSBRIDGE: One proven practice is the technique of citizens’ assemblies or deliberative polls. These are groups of citizens...
by jpitney | May 25, 2021 | Civility, Deliberation
Gary Abernathy at The Washington Post: While everyone acknowledges our division and the social and cultural isolation at its core, doing something about it takes effort. Be of good cheer. There are those dedicated to doing just that, including organizations such...
