Bi-Partisan Report Urges Reinventing of American Democracy; 31 Recommendations Would Advance Change Urgently Needed

They could not have known, when the enterprise began two years ago, how timely it would be.  They could not have known about the eruption of protests, across the nation and across demographics, fervently urging an end to systemic racism and all its ramifications.  They could not have known that the economy would be attempting to rev up after coming to a near standstill, that unemployment would grow to levels unseen since the Great Depression, or that a worldwide pandemic would change where we work, how we live, and how we related to one another.

Yet, the release this month of a comprehensive report and recommendations by a bipartisan commission, convened by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, outlines 31 steps to strengthen America's institutions and civic culture to help a nation in crisis emerge with a more resilient democracy.

The report, Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century, is being issued by a diverse commission of leaders in academia, civil society, politics, and business from across the ideological spectrum. The chairs are Danielle Allen (Harvard University), Stephen Heintz (Rockefeller Brothers Fund), and Eric Liu (Citizen University).

There is a strong Connecticut thread running through it, individuals who have distinguished themselves in this state and, in some cases, beyond.  One of the co-chairs, Stephen Heinz, decades ago served as a state commissioner.  Among the members was Miles Rapoport, a former Connecticut Secretary of the State and State Representative now at the Ash Center at Harvard University, and Martha McCoy, longtime Executive Director of Everyday Democracy, a national organization working to turn conversation into action, and action into lasting positive change, based in Hartford.

In the current context, the report serves to “underscore the urgency of identifying how to fix what is breaking and recommending ways to move forward.”

Said Rapoport of the report: “Its 31 recommendations are a great agenda for American democracy.”  Reflecting on protests today and a generation ago, he noted “As a veteran of the protests of 1968/9/70, these are far more hopeful. They are multi-racial, multi-generational, and—critically—immediately and consciously connected to voting and politics. This is the real America, I believe, and I believe it will prevail.”

“The Commission worked for two years, across divides, across disciplines, and across the country,” said McCoy.  “We met with people and heard them talk about their hopes and concerns, and the opportunities and barriers they experience. The recommendations in the report represent an ambitious and doable roadmap to a democracy that works for all  – one that is inclusive, representative, and responsive.”

"We studied the past to understand the enduring strengths and unmet aspirations of American democracy, we learned from Americans experiencing both opportunities and barriers in our democracy today, we looked to the future to assess the 21st century challenges we will confront, and we have developed a plan for a more resilient America," said Stephen Heintz. "This is not about nostalgia. People don't want a better past. They want a better future."

The Commission is also committed to ensuring that this does not become a report that gathers dust on shelves.  They are seeking “significant progress on all of its recommendations by 2026, the nation's 250th anniversary.”

Among the 31 recommendations in the bipartisan report:

• Expand the House of Representatives (and therefore the Electoral College) by at least fifty members.

• Institute universal voting and instant voter registration for all eligible Americans.

• Establish an expectation of national service by all Americans.

• Limit Supreme Court justices to 18-year terms.

• Reduce the influence of big money in politics.

• Promote electoral reforms to increase representation and decrease hyper-partisanship.

• Increase resources and resolve for community leadership, civic education and an American culture of shared commitment to constitutional democracy and one another.

"This moment of crisis and reckoning in the United States reminds us that it is a blessing, not a burden, to be forced to live up to a creed," said Eric Liu, who has written extensive and delivered a popular TED Talk on democracy themes. "We Americans have one great asset, if we don't squander it: our capacity for reinvention and renewal. Whether the issue is unequal justice or unequal votes or unequal voice, we can change our institutions and our culture if we commit to the work together."

The commission's 31 recommendations address six broad areas that are fundamental to a healthy American democracy:

•         Culture of Shared Commitment

•         Connected Communities

•          Equal Voice, Equal Representation

•          Empowered Voters

•          Responsive Government

•          Social Media with Common Purpose

“At this critical moment in our country, they are a jumping off point for the urgent work ahead. We at Everyday Democracy will continue to work with the Commission – and other champions across the U.S. -- to turn this vision of authentic democracy into reality,” McCoy added.

The Commission was committed to engaging a wide range of voices in its research and to understanding both the challenges and opportunities facing American democracy today and in the decades ahead. Central to its work, the Commission conducted nearly 50 listening sessions around the country and solicited the stories and experiences of a range of Americans with the democratic process.

 In early 2020, the Commission held a convening on the practice of democratic citizenship with participants from nearly all of its listening sessions, Commission members, and other civic leaders to hear from one another and share their work.

"This is an ambitious plan because it has to be. The nation is suffering from a crisis of legitimacy that cannot be addressed by any single reform. Our political institutions, civil society, and political culture need interacting reforms and investment to launch a virtuous circle of empowerment and responsiveness," said Danielle Allen. "Our Common Purpose is designed to establish a stronger foundation for self-government as the best route to safety and opportunity for all Americans."

The report notes, for example, that “In moments of crisis, we have seen what is possible as Americans are inspired to serve the nation and each other, but that potential has too often faded with time. Culture is hard to measure: it cannot be fully captured with simple numbers like voter turnout. In 2020, “culture” is too often followed by “wars”—which we hope to avoid… We have designed each to foster a culture of commitment to constitutional democracy and one another, and we hope that together they will remind Americans of the value of our constitutional democracy and our bond to one another.”

"We have worked for two years across divides, across disciplines, and across the country," said David Oxtoby, President of the Academy. "These comprehensive reforms are necessary to make America more representative, more responsive, and more united." The American Academy of Arts & Sciences was established in 1780 by the country's founders to help guide a young nation through challenges and emerge stronger. As the Academy notes, “this is one of those times.”