A New Civic Covenant
As MLK Day nears, I am reminded of work that we’re doing in Jackson, MS. Just recently, we released A New Civic Covenant: Jackson Ready To Step Forward, which sets out an inspiring agreement among a diverse group of local leaders to work together to make real and lasting progress for the community.
The Need for a 'Civic Message'
Let’s face reality: the underlying change we need in our country today is not likely to come anytime soon from Washington, DC or many of our state capitals. Nor will it come from simply electing a new batch of elected officials that insist on pursuing a divisive and polarized politics. People in communities must step forward if we are to create the lives and communities—and the nation—we aspire to.
Our First 100 Days Test
President Trump’s first 100 Days is fast approaching, and he and his administration are racing to get things done in order to declare success. Many Americans, the news media and political pundits, among others, will offer their own opinions on his performance. But here’s a different question to consider at this juncture of the new president’s term: What about “our” first 100 days—how are we responding to the challenges around us?
An Alternative View from Main Street
This year marks the 20th anniversary of The Harwood Institute's ground-breaking report, Citizens and Politics: A View from Main Street America. It was one of the first major studies to reveal people were not "apathetic" about politics and public life (as polls said they were), but felt disconnected and pushed out.
The New "No Labels" Movement
Yesterday, the “No Labels” movement was launched and then roundly attacked from all sides. Its purpose: to call people back to core American beliefs and productive engagement in public life and politics. Their tagline: “Not Left. Not Right. Forward.” The knee-jerk attacks just go to prove the movement is sorely needed. Here's why.
Why I banned "Civic Engagement"
Sometime ago I found myself standing in front of a thousand people giving a speech and saying that I had banned the phrase ‘civic engagement’ from The Harwood Institute’s work. The phrase has become a catch-all, a kind of Good Housekeeping seal that we’re doing honorable work in the name of community and the common good. But what I find is that the phrase gets in the way of our very goals.