April Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
By Zachey Kliger | zachey.kliger@gmail.com | April 27, 2023
Between 2018-2020, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences convened a bipartisan commission to study the state of American democracy, and engage with communities across the U.S. to explore how best to respond to the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in our political and civic life. The Commission’s two-year effort culminated in 2020 with the release of Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century, a report that presents 31 recommendations to make American democracy more resilient. Now, the Academy is partnering with a number of grassroots organizations to advance these reforms, and has set an ambitious goal of implementing all 31 recommendations by 2026, the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
Each month, my team at the Academy produces a newsletter to showcase key developments in the implementation of these 31 recommendations. Below are highlights from April.
A Radical Old Idea: Expanding the U.S. House of Representatives
On May 16, the American Academy will host A Radical Old Idea: Expanding the U.S. House of Representatives, a virtual event featuring Danielle Allen, Norm Ornstein, Yuval Levin, and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The speakers will discuss why increasing the number of representatives in the House is crucial to the health of American Democracy. Congress is meant to be the branch of the federal government closest to the people. But today, each member of the House represents on average 760,000 people. As a result, many Americans feel disconnected from their representatives. To fix this, a growing body of experts and policymakers, inspired by Our Common Purpose, are working to expand the House of Representatives
Danielle Allen discussed this reform in a recent appearance on MSNBC’s Velshi. You can watch that interview here.
DATE: May 16, 2023 | 2:00-3:00 PM EST | Register here
In the News
Danielle Allen on The Ezra Klein Show: Democracy is the work of restoring power sharing
In a fascinating appearance on The Ezra Klein Show, Danielle Allen explains that co-participation and co-ownership of public spaces and public life are vital components of our constitutional democracy. Danielle calls particular attention to Strategy 3 of the Our Common Purpose report, which centers on ensuring the responsiveness of political institutions.
Listen to the full conversation here.
New Report from Protect Democracy: Towards Proportional Representation for the U.S. House
A new report released by the nonprofit Protect Democracy, Towards Proportional Representation for the U.S. House, makes the case for proportional, multi-member House districts. Recommendation 1.3 in Our Common Purpose calls for the adoption of multi-member districts and a non-winner-take-all election model.
Read the report here. Learn more about multi-member House districts here.
President Biden Co-Hosts Summit for Democracy
On March 29-30, President Biden co-hosted the second Summit for Democracy. The Biden administration used the virtual summit to announce up to $690 million in new funding for the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal, which includes proposals to support democratic reformers, strengthen independent media, counter corruption, defend democratic elections, and expand technology for democracy.
Read highlights from the Summit for Democracy here.
Upcoming Events
Commemoration Reconsidered: Ethics, Justice, and America’s 250th Anniversary – Virtual Summit
On April 27 and 28, the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) will host a virtual summit featuring experts who will discuss vital questions about how we should commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary. Recommendation 6.2 of Our Common Purpose calls for creating a Telling Our Nation’s Story initiative to engage communities in conversations about the complex and always evolving American story.
DATE: April 27 and 28, 2023 | 12:00 – 4:30 PM EST | Register here.
Thanks for checking out this month’s newsletter!
For more, read the full Our Common Purpose report here. Interested in a hard copy? Order one here.
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