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Zachey Kliger

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OpenAI Wants You to Think It Cares About Workers. Its $125 Million Super PAC Tells a Different Story.
April 9, 2026
OpenAI's new policy blueprint reads like a progressive wish list. The problem isn't that these proposals are unrealistic. It's that the executives behind the blueprint have spent the past year working to undermine the very policies it claims to champion. Read More
Turning Protest into Power: How No Kings Can Fuel a Blue Wave in the Midterms.
March 31, 2026
I joined the No Kings rally on Boston Common on March 28 and spoke with roughly 50 protesters and organizers. With the midterms eight months away, I offer a blueprint for turning the protest momentum into an electoral strategy.Read More
He Predicted the Metaverse Would Fail. He Has a Warning about AI.
March 26, 2026
Meta just pulled the plug on the metaverse after investing over $80 billion. I spoke with Ethan Zuckerman to understand why the Metaverse failed, what it reveals about what Gen Z wants, and what worries him most about AI. Read More
Big Tech Wants AI in the Classroom. These Teachers are Pushing Back.
March 17, 2026
I interviewed six high school teachers and dug through the latest research on how generative AI is being used in schools today. Here are the most striking takeaways. Read More
There’s Broad Agreement on AI Red Lines – So Why Aren’t They Law?
March 5, 2026
While there is broad bipartisan agreement on two key AI “red lines” — banning warrantless AI-powered mass surveillance and keeping humans in control of lethal force decisions — Congress has failed to turn that consensus into law. Read More
What Trump Said — and Didn’t Say — About AI in His State of the Union
February 25, 2026
In a record-breaking 107-minute address, President Trump referenced artificial intelligence only three times. Here's what he said — and what he conspicuously left out.Read More
Our Common Purpose | May 2025
June 9, 2025
In May, cities, states, colleges and universities, and nonprofit leaders advanced new efforts and new ideas to strengthen democracy. Utah passed a law to empower individuals to own their digital identities, while Boston took an important step toward adopting ranked choice voting. Read on for more new reports, resources, and upcoming events. Read More
Our Common Purpose | April 2025
May 1, 2025
In April, Over 500 college and university presidents joined a statement released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) responding to “the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” Read More
Our Common Purpose | March 2025
March 31, 2025
On March 14, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences convened a conversation on what it means to be in a constitutional crisis, whether America is in one currently, and the role of the judiciary in our system of checks and balances. Read More
Our Common Purpose | February 2025
February 27, 2025
Across the left and right, Americans say our political system needs fundamental renovation. But the first weeks of the current Trump administration have put our constitutional democracy to the test. Through executive orders and actions, the new administration has bypassed Congress’s power of the purse and pushed the boundaries of executive power, challenging the foundations of the American system of government. Read More
Our Common Purpose November Newsletter
November 28, 2024
This month’s newsletter shares reflections from leaders in the democracy field, opportunities to connect with others, and links to videos of recent Academy events on civic culture and economic connectedness. Read More
October Newsletter | Election Day, Fortifying Civic Culture, and More
October 27, 2024
On September 4, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences convened a discussion on political polarization and political violence in the United States. A point of emphasis was the importance of reassuring Americans that voting is safe. Read More
September Newsletter | Political Violence, National Voter Registration Day, and Defending Election Workers
September 25, 2024
On September 4, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences convened a discussion on political polarization and political violence in the United States. A point of emphasis was the importance of reassuring Americans that voting is safe. Read More
August 2024 Newsletter | Economic Connectedness, New ABA Task Force Statement, and More
August 25, 2024
Many Americans today live in socioeconomic silos. As communities remain economically stratified, it is easy to be surrounded by those who share the same background. The Academy is launching a new website to help bridge these economic divides. It explains why economic connectedness matters and features case studies of neighborhoods, schools, and programs that are effectively fostering cross-class relationships. Read More
July 2024 Newsletter | Our Common Purpose
July 30, 2024
This month, an assassination attempt on former President Trump killed a rallygoer and injured others. This recent tragedy underscores the danger of dehumanizing those with whom we disagree – and the responsibility we all have to foster a stronger sense of common purpose in American civic life. Read More
June 2024 Newsletter | Our Common Purpose
June 30, 2024
On June 27th in Washington D.C., the Academy will bring together a diverse, bipartisan group of experts, including Kimberly Atkins Stohr, Sarah Binder, Stephen McAllister and Judge Diane Wood, for a lively discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of instituting 18-year term limits for Supreme Court Justices. Read More
May 2024 Newsletter | Our Common Purpose
May 30, 2024
Our Common Purpose calls for dramatically expanding the capacity of civic leaders and civil society to bring people together and build bridges across lines of difference. Vital to this work in recent years is the Bridging Movement Alignment Council (BMAC). Read More
April 2024 Newsletter | Our Common Purpose
April 25, 2024
Recent research has documented support for core American values such as the right to vote or a free press, as well as support for OCP recommendations such as campaign finance reform or Supreme Court term limits. In 2024, we will compile evidence that illuminates American’s views on democracy. Read More
Our Common Purpose Newsletter | March 2024
April 1, 2024
Our Common Purpose recommends establishing a universal expectation of a year of national service. To advance this recommendation, the Academy partnered with America’s Service Commissions and California Volunteers to develop a data-driven approach to engaging more young Americans in service. Read More
Our Common Purpose Newsletter | February 2024
March 1, 2024
In 2024, we continue efforts to support the renovation of American democracy by prioritizing initiatives that advance the Our Common Purpose recommendations. These include: enacting Supreme Court term limits, creating a cultural expectation of national service, preparing democratic citizens in higher education, promoting a healthy civic culture, supporting democracy reform locally, uplifting champions from across the democracy spectrum, and commemorating America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Read More
Our Common Purpose at the Midpoint | Newsletter Special Edition
January 24, 2024
As we begin this new year, we are sharing key achievements of this work to date. In next month’s newsletter, we will highlight the priorities that will guide our work moving forward. Read More
Our Common Purpose Newsletter | December 2023
December 31, 2023
In December, the Council of State Governments hosted a discussion with Steven Olikara and Norman Ornstein on strengthening American Democracy. RepresentUS released a new report highlighting the progress on and obstacles to election and voting reform. Leadership Now published a risk analysis with actionable steps for businesses to counter the risk of democratic instability. And, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill that will automatically register to vote people who completed their felony sentence. Read More
Our Common Purpose Newsletter | November 2023
November 22, 2023
This month, the Academy issued two new publications on Supreme Court Term Limits and Advancing a People-First Economy. Significant advances were made across the country in realizing Our Common Purpose recommendations. Read More
Our Common Purpose Newsletter | October 2023
October 18, 2023
A forthcoming publication from the Academy’s bipartisan U.S. Supreme Court Working Group, which is due to be released on October 25th, sets out a possible path toward Supreme Court reform. The Case for Supreme Court Term Limits examines how 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices could be enacted without the need for a Constitutional amendment. Read More
Our Common Purpose Newsletter | September 2023
September 23, 2023
A significant number of today’s K-12 students will enter college and the workforce without the civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions that they need to fully participate in our constitutional democracy. Lack of civic readiness among young Americans undermines civil discourse, increases alienation and polarization, and makes us more susceptible to misinformation and disinformation. Read More
Our Common Purpose Newsletter | August 2023
August 23, 2023
National service and AmeriCorps are "perfectly positioned" to help trackle America's toxic polarization crisis and our ability to solve shared challenges, according to No Greater Mission, No Greater Means, a new working paper from Convergence CEO David Eisner and longtime civic leader John Gomperts. Read More
July Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
July 25, 2023
On July 27, the Academy and Unite America will co-host a virtual webinar event, “The Promise of Proportional Representation for Democracy.” Norm Ornstein, Andy Craig, Alora Thomas-Lundborg, Grant Tudor and Steven Olikara will discuss why a growing body of experts believe this reform would strengthen American democracy. Read More
June Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
June 30, 2023
The annual Higher Education Forum took place in Aspen, CO on June 12-15, which convened leaders from the Academy’s Affiliate institutions and other key college and university stakeholders to discuss the role of higher education in protecting, supporting, and reimagining American democracy. Read More
May Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
May 28, 2023
New test results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed a further decline in students’ knowledge in U.S. history and civics. Strategy 6 of the Our Common Purpose report centers on inspiring a culture of commitment to American constitutional democracy and one another and includes calls for investments in civic educators and civic education. Read More
How one Fox News Host Altered the Course of U.S. Gender Politics
May 5, 2023
Tucker Carlson helped transform modern American conservatism into a movement fixated on gender, paving the way for a wave of anti-trans legislation across the country. Read More
April Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
April 27, 2023
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. Read More
March Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
March 24, 2023
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. Read More
February Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
February 28, 2023
On February 3, the Our Common Purpose team spent the day in Phoenix for a series of events with Arizona civic leaders. The day of programming showcased the inspiring work Arizona community leaders and organizations are undertaking to build a more resilient civic culture and renew a commitment to constitutional democracy. Read More
January Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
January 31, 2023
On February 3, the Our Common Purpose team, together with the Arizona Civic Life Partnership, will host a full day of programming in Phoenix, Arizona to highlight the inspiring work Arizona community leaders are undertaking to build a more resilient civic culture and renew a commitment to constitutional democracy. Read More
December Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
December 31, 2022
On December 7-9, 2022, the Academy hosted a virtual conference entitled "Reinventing Democracy: How Hometowns are Strengthening America". Over 200 local leaders from 43 states attended the conference, which featured panels on ranked-choice voting, participatory governance, clean elections laws and civic education, and keynotes from Judy Woodruff of PBS News and Eric Liu of Citizen University. Read More
November Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
November 30, 2022
On December 7-9, 2022, the Academy will host a special event to bring together mayors, city councilors, select board members, city and town managers, county executives, and other local civic leaders from across the country for a three-day virtual symposium to learn about pragmatic approaches to reforms like ranked-choice voting, participatory governance, clean elections laws, civic education, and more. Read More
October Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
October 31, 2022
The cochairs of the Academy commission that produced the Our Common Purpose report, Danielle Allen, Stephen Heintz, and Eric Liu, issue a statement in advance of the 2022 midterm elections. The OCP team returned to Lexington, Kentucky to engage with local leaders on implementing democracy reforms. Read More
September Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
September 24, 2022
On September 15th, President Biden hosted community leaders from across America at the White House for the United We Stand Summit. Stephen Heintz (Rockefeller Brothers Fund) and Eric Liu (Citizens University), co-chairs of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, were among those in attendance. Read More
August Newsletter: Our Common Purpose
September 3, 2022
In 2020, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences released Our Common Purpose, a report featuring 31 recommendations to reinvent American democracy. The Academy set an ambitious goal of implementing each reform by 2026, the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. This monthly newsletter will highlight developments in the implementation of these recommendations. Read More
Consumers say they want reliable news. But are they willing to pay for it?
April 7, 2022
Americans overwhelmingly say they want credible news that is free from false or misleading information. But it appears they are less eager to pay for tools that would help them be more discerning in their news consumption. Read More
Could a Narrowing of America’s Digital Divide be a Positive Legacy of the Pandemic?
April 7, 2022
The pandemic’s harms to children – in the form of learning loss, stymied socialization and mental health troubles – have been well-documented. At the same time, in the long run, the pandemic will likely be a catalyst for bridging the nation’s digital divide. Read More
To Fight Disinformation on Digital Platforms, Policymakers should Promote Credibility Labels
January 30, 2022
To address the present dysfunction in the social media information ecosystem, policymakers should prioritize expanding the use of credibility labels. Read More
Policies Alone Won’t Fix our Problems with Social Media. Public Interest Campaigns Must be Part of the Solution
October 17, 2021
During Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony to Congress last week, multiple Senators compared Big Tech to Big Tobacco. If this analogy is prescient, then regulation and legislation will only go so far in curbing the harms caused by social media. Read More
3 Reasons Why the U.S. Lacks Federal Social Media Regulation, and Why That’s Likely to Change Soon
October 4, 2021
Today, the largest social media companies are subject to limited federal oversight in the United States. But that is likely to change soon. Read More
The Asymmetric Media Ecosystem at the Heart of America’s Post-Truth Era
May 13, 2021
The spread of mis- and disinformation in the American media ecosystem undermines effective governance and a functional democracy. How did we get here? And what is our way out? Read More
Who are QAnon Supporters? 5 Revealing Findings from Survey Data
February 25, 2021
To assess the scope of QAnon’s support, and to identify common demographic and psychographic characteristics of QAnon supporters, I analyzed survey data collected by the Pew Research Center between August 31, 2020 – September 7, 2020. Read More
High-Tech Continues to Excuse Anti-Black Discrimination
February 25, 2021
For years, executives at big tech firms have pointed to a “limited pool of Black talent” to excuse the persistent underrepresentation of African Americans in their companies. But recent data illuminates the shortcomings of this oft-cited explanation. Read More
In New Role, Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr Seeks to Harness University Knowledge to aid COVID-19 Response
February 2, 2021
I had a chance to speak with Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, a University Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine at Columbia University, about her career accomplishments, and how her experience working on the HIV pandemic has prepared her for COVID-19. Read More
A Federal Data Privacy Law May Be the Best Tool to Combat Online Disinformation
November 30, 2020
Online platforms like Facebook and Google make money by collecting user data and selling it to advertisers. At the federal level, existing regulations do little to limit what data these companies are able to collect, and with whom they can share it. A federal data privacy law would not only give consumers more control over their data, but also limit the effectiveness of online disinformation campaigns. Read More
A Solution to NYC’s Teacher Shortage: Teacher Residencies
November 13, 2020
New York City’s public schools have among the highest rates of teacher attrition in the country. Frequent turnover has contributed to a teacher shortage in the city. A strategic investment in a year-long teacher residency program would address the shortage by producing a consistent pipeline of high-quality teachers. Read More
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act Should be Modified to Target Algorithms
November 3, 2020
Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act (CDA) exempts providers of an interactive computer service, such as social media platforms, from legal liability for user-generated content. It also allows platforms to moderate content as they see fit without fear of being sued. Read More
SIPA’s Civic and Voter Engagement Coalition Mobilizing Voters Ahead of Election Day, Building on Founder’s Vision
October 24, 2020
Andres Chong-Qui Torres (MPA ’19) arrived at SIPA in fall of 2017 eager to make a difference. Prior to attending Graduate school, Torres worked as an organizer for Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012, and served for three years as an Obama White House Appointee at the U.S. Treasury Department. He wanted to continue his public service work at SIPA. The only question was how. Read More
How the NBA and WNBA became Ambassadors for Social Justice
August 23, 2020
In my mid-20’s, I hit a rough stretch with basketball. My recreation team disbanded as people left Boston. The Nets continued to languish, with little sign of hope for the future. And my burgeoning passion for politics and social justice began to supplant my enthusiasm for sports. But in that process, I developed a newfound appreciation for the league, and the sport, I fell in love with as a kid. Read More
A Preemptive Strike: How the U.S. Government Engineered the Carceral State
July 24, 2020
In her thorough dissection of the policies that fueled the axiomatic rise in black incarceration in the final decades of the 20th century, Elizabeth Hinton traces the origins of the modern carceral state back to the social welfare programs of the early 1960’s. Read More
GOP deploying familiar tactics with Covid-19 response
May 6, 2020
Our understanding of the novel coronavirus – its transmissibility, symptoms, and potential treatments and vaccines – is fluid. The Republican playbook for responding to, and communicating about, the crisis has become clear. Read More
Takeaways From Iowa
February 6, 2020
It occurred to me early Tuesday morning, amid the national media backlash over the reporting delay and dysfunction in Iowa, that my first caucus may very well be the last one Iowa ever hosts. Read More
My First Time Meeting Elizabeth Warren
December 31, 2019
The Polk County campaign staff was tasked with coordinating the event. I had two “official” jobs: Sign people in when they arrived, and secure caucus commitments from voters during and after the event. My third job: Meet the Senator. Read More
The Case for Single-Payer Health Care
December 17, 2019
Today, 45 percent of U.S. adults ages 19 to 64, or 87 million people, are either underinsured or have no insurance at all. What is the best policy to ensure adequate, dependable coverage for those 87 million Americans? Read More
A Tale of Two Economies: Why We Need To Talk About Wealth
November 20, 2019
New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that income inequality in the United States has reached its highest level ever. Lurking beneath the headline numbers of GDP and unemployment are reminders that the country’s gains have been unevenly distributed. Read More
How Democrats Take Back the Rust Belt in 2020
November 13, 2019
The results of the 2018 midterms, a resounding Democrat victory in key races in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, should provide comfort to Democrats. But it means nothing for 2020 if the right strategy is not employed to flip working-class Trump voters, and increase voter turnout. Read More

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