Diffusing Tension - Braver Angels December 2023

I recently received this email from Julian from Braver Angels. Julian is a Libertarian who feels like he's spent his whole life surrounded by people who disagree with him. He offers three great lessons for contructively engaging with and for deepening relationships with people who don't agree with him.

1. When you're talking politics and things get heated, stay non-reactive.

2. Focus on the relationship.

3. Unplug from cable news and political fundraising emails.

Julian's detailed recommendations can be found below. I encourage you to check them out and share with others.

Diffusing Tension - Braver Angels 12-2023

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Newsletter - November 2023

We are less than one year from the next presidential election and many areas just completed their "off-year" election cycle.

In the 1960 State of the Union speech, President Eisenhower said, "In the long perspective of history, the right to vote has been one of the strongest pillars of a free society. Our first duty is to protect this right against all encroachment."

Voting by mail has made it easier for people to vote and overall participation trends are stable or slightly increasing, but trust in the accuracy of elections has been eroding.

We are continually bombarded by political ads, requests for money, and stories about rigged elections and election interference. It's both exhausting and disconcerting.

Against this backdrop, election officials and poll workers feel under siege and fear for their safety. It's not surprising there's a high rate of turnover of poll workers and election officials which further stresses our electoral processes.

Earlier this month, I attended Issue One's virtual event titled, “The High Cost of High Turnover: How the Departure of Election Officials will Impact the 2024 Elections.” This event reinforced my respect and admiration for the officials and poll workers that run our elections. They truly are heroes. One of the themes from the webinar was the need for sustained federal funding to ensure local election organizations have the people and resources needed to optimize election administration. Please add your voice to those that are advocating for this critical support of our democracy.

Our work at the Center for Electoral Quality and Integrity is designed to support election officials and increase voter confidence in our electoral process. I will provide additional details on our work in either my December or January newsletter.

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This month's social media posts took a closer look at term limits, the unique approach taken by the Forward Party, and provided resources for navigating the dreaded political discussions that could pop up at holiday gatherings.

I frequently refer to Thanksgiving as the holiday where we have the opportunity to see the glass as half-full. At the beginning of our Thanksgiving dinner, we go around the table to share something we're thankful for. It's a great and fitting way to start the holiday season.

There are many unsettling events occurring in our country and around the world, but there is so much more that unites us than divides us. I wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.

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Newsletter - October 2023

Between the horrific events in the Middle East to the dysfunction in the House of Representatives, it has been an extremely disconcerting month. A month that caused me to reflect and question my commitment to this work.

On balance, history as recent as World War II demonstrates that apathy and appeasement are the greatest enemies of freedom and democracy.

There are powerful forces and powerful people that are destabilizing the world and this country. Despite these forces, "we the people," by educating ourselves on candidates and issues, by speaking up, and by exercising our right to vote, have the power to protect our democracy and make our country and world a better place.

None of this is easy, or even guaranteed. Wading through misinformation and constructively engaging with people in debate is increasingly difficult. To make matters worse, elections and election workers are increasingly under attack.

My social media posts this month provided perspective on the state of our democracy, tools to combat misinformation and media bias, resources on elections and election officials, and reinforced how a strong partnership between our elected officials and their constituents can help promote and strengthen our democracy. If you haven't yet had a chance to review these posts, I encourage you to do so!

• Historian Heather Cox Richardson's NPR interview provides great perspective on the ouster of Kevin McCarthy and state of our democracy

• All-Sides' updated media bias chart is a great guide on the reporting lens of prominent media organizations (take, for example, three side-by-side reports on the history of the Israeli-Hamas conflict)

• AARP's October 25 media literacy class had some tips for being news savvy online

• PBS screened No Time to Fail, a moving account of the heroic work of Rhode Island's election administrators' work in the midst of the COVID pandemic. If you missed it, the film is available to stream through the World Channel and on-demand via all station-branded PBS platforms, including the PBS App.

• Issue One's report on high turnover of election officials highlighted a major barrier to running elections at the local level

• Fortune commentary on the role of business in supporting our democracy urged leaders to commit to their role in safeguarding elections ahead of the 2024 cycle

• Voice of the People's October newsletter highlighted bipartisan agreement on a number of major proposals on immigration. I encourage you to try their policymaking simulation on immigration. It only takes a few minutes, it's very enlightening, and you can share your findings with your congressional representatives.

Here's hoping we have a much better month than the last one. Have a happy Halloween and a great Thanksgiving.

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