March Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
By Zachey Kliger | zachey.kliger@gmail.com | March 24, 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 March.
President Biden’s 2024 Budget Prioritizes Strengthening American Democracy
In his Fiscal Year 2024 budget, President Biden includes significant investments to strengthen American democracy that are consistent with the recommendations in the Our Common Purpose report. The President’s budget proposes $5 billion in new election assistance funding, $1.5 billion for AmeriCorps, and $73 million to support American history and civics education programs. Strategy 2 of Our Common Purpose focuses on empowering voters, in part by increasing funding for election administration to make voting more accessible. Recommendation 6.1 seeks to expand funding for service programs like AmeriCorps. And recommendation 6.5 calls for investments in civics education.
Learn more about the President’s Budget here.
In the News
New Mexico Voting Rights Act heads to Governor’s Desk
New Mexico’s legislature approved legislation that would expand voting accessibility by restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals, adopt automatic voter registration, and designate Election Day as a school holiday. Strategy 2 of Our Common Purpose focuses on empowering voters by making voting easier and more accessible.
Read about New Mexico’s bill here. Learn more about Strategy 2 of Our Common Purpose here.
Richard Young: What are you doing to be a better citizen?
Richard Young of CivicLex writes in the Lexington Herald Leader about the critical importance of civic learning to creating informed and engaged communities, which also leads to more fulfilling lives. In December, Lexington, Kentucky became the first Our Common Purpose Community. As part of this partnership, the city of Lexington will build new ways for the public to engage in local government and will support the growth of civic education opportunities for residents of all ages.
Read the full op-ed here. Learn more about the OCP Communities Project here.
Tackling Political Polarization: The Researchers Trying to Bridge Divides
In a news feature published by Nature, Saima May Sidik surveys the landscape of researchers experimenting with interventions that aim to tackle political polarization. Strategy 4 of Our Common Purpose centers on expanding civic bridging capacity.
Read the full story here.
Danielle Allen: The House was Supposed to Grow with the Population. It didn’t. Let’s fix that.
In her second piece in a series for The Washington Post that will draw from the recommendations in the Our Common Purpose report, Danielle Allen, cochair of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, makes the case for enlarging the U.S. House of Representatives. The first recommendation of Our Common Purpose calls for enlarging the House of Representatives.
Good to Know
A More Perfect Union: Jewish Partnership for Democracy 2023 Public Kickoff
On April 19, the Jewish Partnership for Democracy, a network of nearly 100 Jewish organizations working to strengthen American democracy, will host a virtual gathering to launch the next phase of its work. The meeting will bring together Jewish institutions and democracy scholars to discuss ongoing efforts to increase civic learning, cultivate the practice of democracy, ensure free and fair elections, and promote ideological pluralism. Register now to save your spot!
DATE: April 19, 2023 | 2:00 PM EST | Register here
New America Accepting Applications for US@250 Fellowship
New America is now accepting applications for its inaugural class of US@250 fellows. Ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, New America’s US@250 initiative seeks to commemorate our nation’s founding by advocating for a reimagination of the American narrative. The US@250 fellowship offers funding and resources for professionals, practitioners, and creatives working on projects that seek to tell a more comprehensive American story.
Apply for the fellowship here. The deadline to apply is April 14, 2023.
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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