Citizen University is building a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship across the country. We envision a great civic revival across our nation — our dream is a country in which Americans are steeped in a sense of civic character, educated in the tools of civic power, and are problem-solving contributors in a self-governing community.
Site Navigation
Search
Latest Stories
Start your day right!
Get latest updates and insights delivered to your inbox.
Latest news
Read More
Wilson Deschine sits at the "be my voice" voter registration stand at the Navajo Nation annual rodeo, in Window Rock.
Getty Images, David Howells
Stolen Land, Stolen Votes: Native Americans Defending the VRA Protects Us All – and We Should Support Them
Aug 05, 2025
On July 24, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a Circuit Court order in a far-reaching case that could affect the voting rights of all Americans. Native American tribes and individuals filed the case as part of their centuries-old fight for rights in their own land.
The underlying subject of the case confronts racial gerrymandering against America’s first inhabitants, where North Dakota’s 2021 redistricting reduced Native Americans’ chances of electing up to three state representatives to just one. The specific issue that the Supreme Court may consider, if it accepts hearing the case, is whether individuals and associations can seek justice under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). That is because the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, contradicting other courts, said that individuals do not have standing to bring Section 2 cases.
Individual standing is essentially a life or death issue for the VRA, since the Court’s 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision quashed the Act's powerful preclearance protection against discrimination through modifications of electoral rules in specified jurisdictions with negative histories. That unleashed states to restrict minority voting rights in a variety of ways, which increased the importance of turning to Section 2. As noted in the tribes’ Supreme Court petition, more than 400 legal actions have been brought under Section 2 since 1982. If the Eighth Circuit’s decision prevails against that of other courts, then only the U.S. Justice Department will be able to bring Section 2 cases, and it has reversed its traditional pro-voting rights approach.
The case, The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians v. Howe, therefore provides an opportunity to support Native American rights while simultaneously defending trustworthy elections. The case is also indicative of the denial of Native American rights and current voter suppression campaigns.
The Trail of Broken Promises Includes Disenfranchisement
Even though drafters of the U.S. Constitution drew on the structure of the six-nation Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee) and the democratic principles of Native American peoples, the trail of genocidal practices against Indigenous Americans includes disenfranchisement—on top of forced movement onto reservations, broken treaties, and deprivation of resources. They were not even recognized as citizens of this country, and therefore not allowed to vote in U.S. elections until the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act.
They then faced hostile conditions, including: voting barriers of some state constitutions, saying they were not state residents; literacy tests; discriminatory tax provisions; contorted guardianship definitions; and requirements to abandon traditional culture before registering to vote. Such machinations and their current derivatives are expertly documented in the Native American Rights Fund’s 2020 study “Obstacles at Every Turn” and in a July 2025 article in the Urban Lawyer that revisits the study, including 15 areas where specific reforms are needed.
Passage of the VRA in 1965 and the 1975 addition to it of Section 203 extended voting rights protections to Indigenous Americans, including Alaskan and Hawaiian native peoples. Yet, significant obstacles remain, particularly for those living on Tribal lands. Only about 13 percent of people who identify as “American Indian” live on the 326 federally recognized reservations, the populations of which include many non-tribal members of diverse backgrounds. Nonetheless, their challenges illustrate broader issues of voter suppression, evidenced in a 2024 study by the Brennan Center.
Among the key issues facing those living on tribal lands and rural areas are a lack of formal addresses, which present barriers to voter registration and voting by mail. The digital divide limits access to online voter registration and voting information. And, there often is a dire lack of registration centers, polling stations, and ballot drop boxes on those lands, often demanding hours-long travel to exercise voting rights. That may entail dealing with otherwise discriminatory environments off reservations.
Geographic isolation—also a major factor for Alaska Native peoples—poor roads, and a lack of transportation resources compound the burdens. Those factors, plus fees for obtaining driver’s licenses and other state-issued identification, present barriers, while such IDs may not be required on tribal lands—even though they may be necessary for registration and voting.
MAGA-driven proof of citizenship (PoC) requirements presented in the Presidential Executive Order on elections, the SAVE Act, and similar state legislation heighten voting barriers for Indigenous Americans living on and off tribal lands. PoC requirements would, in effect, eliminate the use of Tribal IDs for registration and voting, even though some states have moved to accept them. PoC acts requiring passports, birth certificates, and, in Wyoming, proof of state residency present tremendous bureaucratic and financial hurdles for Indigenous Americans. Ironically, the justification is that this country’s first residents must prove they are not “aliens” attempting to vote illegally.
Indigenous Americans live in significant numbers in states including Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming—and cities including Chicago, Houston, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and New York. They are facing challenges beyond racial gerrymandering and other voting obstacles on Tribal lands. They also confront voter suppression efforts like overly burdensome ID requirements, limiting hours for voter registration even when it is allowed on election day, and restrictions on third-party ballot collection—which is important on tribal lands and affects the voting rights of many populations beyond them.
The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and Lakota People’s Law Project (LPLP) are among the organizations using the courts to defend voting rights, while Western Native Voice (WNV), Four Directions, and state-focused groups like Alaska’s Get Out the Native Vote (GOTNV), Arizona Native Vote (ANV), and North Dakota Native Vote (NDNV) are conducting voter participation campaigns. All such efforts are taking place in an increasingly toxic general political environment that includes threats and political retribution by MAGA elements that are causing some funders of Indigenous American groups to hold back financial support.
The recent posting of western conquest imagery by the Department of Homeland Security, MAGA pundit Ann Coulter’s July 6 post on “X” endorsing the killing of American Indians, and President Trump’s pressuring of two U.S. sports teams to return to racist depictions of Native Americans further poison the environment around Native American rights. The recent $9 billion rescission bill that gutted funding for public media will undermine information integrity by hampering Native Public Media (NPM), Vision Maker Media (VMM), ICT, and other entities.
Indigenous Americans’ fight for their political rights is inextricably linked to the protection of everyone’s rights. The incorporation of the proposed Native American Voting Rights Act into a comprehensive package, along with the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, demonstrates that linkage. Like many things concerning Indigenous Americans’ rights, the act’s passage is long overdue.
At this crucial juncture for defending trustworthy elections and the continued existence of American democracy, we all should highlight and actively support efforts to defend Indigenous Americans’ voting and broader rights. Otherwise, we may all find ourselves to be casualties of a future autocratic version of “Manifest Destiny.”
Pat Merloe provides strategic advice to groups focused on democracy and trustworthy elections in the U.S. and internationally.
Keep ReadingShow less
Recommended
Climate change isn’t a distant threat. It’s an everyday expense. And for millions of Americans, the costs are already piling up.
Getty Images, Andriy Onufriyenko
The Climate Bill Is Here—and Republicans Just Handed You the Check
Aug 05, 2025
Introduction
Donald Trump ran on fighting inflation. Instead, he’s helped push prices higher—and made life more expensive for everyday Americans. As climate disasters disrupt farms, raise food prices, and strain household budgets, GOP leaders are attacking the science and policies that could help us adapt. From wildfires in California to droughts in Arizona and floods in Texas, extreme weather is turning climate denial into a hidden tax on working families.
By gutting climate programs, pressuring central banks, and shielding polluters, Republicans have shifted the costs of a warming world onto the very people they claim to defend. While former and current officials point fingers elsewhere, these policies—driven by ideology and donor interests—are making the squeeze worse.
Climate change is no longer abstract. It’s the reason your grocery bill is higher, your electricity costs more, and your insurance keeps going up. It’s time to talk about who’s responsible—and who’s paying.
The Real Cost of Denial
Climate change is already raising prices. You can see it at the supermarket and in your monthly bills. Research shows that extreme weather between 2022 and 2024 pushed food costs higher across the globe.
Droughts, floods, and fires aren’t rare anymore. When crops fail in one region, prices rise everywhere. And the hits keep coming—from grocery stores to gas stations.
In 2022, a major drought in California and Arizona nearly doubled produce prices in some areas. Insurance premiums are spiking in regions at higher risk of fires or floods. Utilities are charging more as they upgrade aging systems to handle extreme weather.
At the same time, programs that could ease these burdens have been scaled back or dismantled. The Trump administration cut climate data tools, canceled resilience plans, and weakened the federal role in helping communities prepare. These weren’t oversights. They were choices.
Muting the Messengers
It’s not just about policy—it’s about hiding the problem. Under political pressure, government agencies and financial institutions have pulled back from even mentioning climate risk. That’s not cutting red tape. That’s blocking the warning signs.
The USDA quietly removed key climate data, prompting a lawsuit from farmers and environmental groups. That data helps farmers plan and avoid losses. Without it, they’re left in the dark.
At the Federal Reserve, Chair Jerome Powell responded to Republican pressure by saying climate change isn’t part of the Fed’s role—despite mounting evidence that it affects prices and credit risk.
Meanwhile, major banks like JPMorgan and Citibank have pulled back from earlier climate commitments. Fossil fuel-aligned pressure groups have targeted these institutions, making it riskier to speak out or plan.
When warnings are silenced, people can’t prepare. They don’t see what’s coming. And they’re more likely to blame the wrong things when prices rise.
From Climate Denial to Kitchen Table Crisis
Climate change doesn’t always make headlines. Sometimes, it’s just your paycheck not stretching far enough. It’s rent going up, a grocery bill that shocks you, or an energy bill that spikes during a heat wave.
Because the GOP has worked to blur the lines between cause and effect, many people don’t connect these economic pressures to climate inaction. They blame companies, utilities, or bad luck. But behind those everyday costs are policy choices that made the situation worse.
Instead of addressing climate threats, Republican leaders offer scapegoats—immigrants, urban voters, federal agencies—while protecting the industries driving the crisis. Their approach: cut clean energy funding, weaken climate standards, and end oversight.
Over time, the result is slow-motion economic strain. One disaster might not wreck your budget. But years of higher costs and poor planning will.
Who Really Pays
There’s a clear pattern behind these choices. Follow the money. For every rollback of climate protections, there’s often a donor who benefits.
Big oil, coal, and agribusiness companies spend millions lobbying to delay reform. In return, they get more freedom to pollute—and fewer questions asked.
Blocking clean energy protections helps fossil fuel profits. Ignoring climate risk helps developers. Slashing transparency keeps the public unaware. But those savings for corporations come at a cost: higher bills, riskier lives, and fewer tools for the public to push back.
This isn’t just about denial. It’s about business. And working families are left to pay for it.
Conclusion: The Heat Is Already Here
Climate change isn’t a distant threat. It’s an everyday expense. And for millions of Americans, the costs are already piling up.
This isn’t just about rising temperatures—it’s about rising bills. The GOP says it’s fighting inflation, but many of its policies are quietly fueling the very cost increases people feel in their groceries, utilities, and insurance.
Unless voters begin to connect these rising expenses to the political decisions that drive them, the cycle will repeat. Prices will keep climbing. And once again, the check will land in your lap.
The good news? These outcomes are political—and that means they can change. But only if voters look past the noise, see through the blame game, and hold leaders accountable for the real drivers of economic pain.
Robert Cropf is a professor of political science at Saint Louis University.
Keep ReadingShow less
Over the past several years, we've watched President Trump and his administration wield misinformation not just as a shield, but as a weapon. We, the people, must insist on the truth.
Getty Images, Richard Drury
The Cost of Small Lies: A Citizen’s Response
Aug 05, 2025
Over the past several years, we've watched President Donald Trump and his administration wield misinformation not just as a shield, but as a weapon—deploying conspiracy theories, half-truths, and outright falsehoods to bury tough headlines and duck accountability. The first months of Republican control, instead of being a time of bold policy moves, were filled with desperate attempts to distract. Scandals like the Epstein saga, broken promises on tariffs, and a series of policy blunders didn't disappear. They were shoved out of the public eye with a fresh barrage of controversy.
Little lies, repeated and amplified, don't stay little. They metastasize into something far more dangerous—twisted stories that pit neighbor against neighbor, scapegoat immigrants for economic frustration, and revive the ugliest suspicions about our first Black president with birther conspiracies. They fuel misogyny and racism toward the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win a major party's nomination. These stories don't just distract; they divide. "Us" and "them" lines are drawn—Muslims, Mexicans, dissenters, anyone inconvenient to the narrative.
Distraction is a strategy—a relentless stream of tweets, baseless allegations, and spectacular rallies designed to drown out the reality that promises are broken, policies flounder, and the very soul of democracy is at risk. Whenever scrutiny threatens, the blame shifts. A new enemy is named, a new controversy invented. Shrugging this off as "just politics" is a luxury none of us can afford. In doing so, we surrender the very things that bind us: moral clarity, responsibility towards neighbors, and commitment to truth.
What do we do, practically, in the face of this? How do we counter the onslaught of misinformation and manipulation, not just as individuals but as families, neighborhoods, and communities? Here's how we can move from outrage to action, from anxiety to agency:
1. Recognize the Playbook, Not Just the Headlines
Don't just react to the latest scandal or viral tweet—look for the pattern behind it. When a new controversy explodes, pause and ask: Who benefits from this distraction? What's being swept under the rug? For example, if a policy failure is dominating the news, does a sudden cultural "crisis" soon follow? Make it a habit to dig beneath the surface. Share these patterns with friends and family—help others see the strings being pulled.
2. Fact-Check—And Teach Others How To
Refuse to take statements at face value, no matter the source. Use nonpartisan fact-checkers like Snopes, FactCheck.org, or Politifact. More importantly, teach your kids, your relatives, and your peers how to do the same. Consider hosting a "fact-check night" with your children, showing them how to trace a rumor to its source. Equip your community—whether it's a book club, church group, or PTA—with tools and workshops on media literacy. The more people who know how to spot a lie, the weaker those lies become.
3. Call Out Prejudice—Every Time, Everywhere
When misinformation mutates into racism, sexism, or xenophobia, don't let it slide. Speak up in meetings, on social media, and at family gatherings. Don't just say, "That's not true"—say, "That's rooted in prejudice, and it's wrong." Encourage your workplace, faith community, or local organizations to create standing responses—statements, workshops, or rapid-response teams—to address hate speech and misinformation as it arises. If you're a person of faith, use your platform to name these harms from the pulpit or in small groups. Silence is not neutral; it's complicity.
4. Build Stronger Ties Across Differences
The best antidote to "us vs. them" is a real relationship. Go out of your way to connect with those targeted by misinformation—immigrants, people of color, and religious minorities. Attend events outside your usual circles—volunteer with organizations led by those communities. When possible, bring people together for shared projects—a community clean-up, a neighborhood meal, a joint advocacy campaign. Listen to stories directly from those who are scapegoated; amplify their voices in your networks. Host forums and dialogues that address tough topics honestly and respectfully.
5. Demand Accountability
Don't wait for someone else to act. Write letters to your representatives on issues that matter, but also when you see attempts to distract or deceive. Call out misleading statements at local council meetings, school board sessions, and even in casual conversations. Set up regular check-ins with neighbors to discuss community concerns, and invite regional leaders to answer your questions directly. Post public questions in local forums or social media groups and encourage respectful debate.
6. Support Honest Media
Subscribe to reputable news outlets, especially local ones. Share well-sourced stories, not just headlines. If you see journalists being attacked or threatened for doing their jobs, speak up in their defense. Consider starting a neighborhood newsletter or podcast that highlights both problems and solutions in your area. Host "media nights" where you and your community dissect coverage of important issues—what's missing, what's misleading, and what's true.
7. Practice Civic Courage
Moral courage isn't the domain of a few heroes; it's a daily practice for all of us. Stand up when it's awkward. Interrupt misinformation in real time. Model humility and a willingness to admit when you're wrong. Support those who take public risks for truth and justice—let them know they're not alone.
8. Take Care of Each Other
Build circles of support—people you can talk with honestly about your fears and frustrations. Celebrate small wins. Check in on those who are most vulnerable. Remember that kindness, patience, and humor are as necessary as outrage.
There's an old preacher's saying: "You can't heal what you won't name." The lies we're told—especially when they come from the top—aren't just fibs. They're deliberate tools meant to keep us divided and distracted, so the real work of democracy goes undone and social trust erodes. But we're not powerless. The strength of a nation is measured not by its leaders' cunning but by the conscience, courage, and solidarity of its people.
We can insist on the truth. We can hold each other accountable, and we can refuse to be divided by those who profit from our disunity. The work is hard, but it's ours. And in the end, that's how democracy survives—not by coincidence, but by persistent, stubborn, hopeful labor of ordinary people who refuse to look away.
Rev. Dr. F. Willis Johnson is a spiritual entrepreneur, author, scholar-practioner whose leadership and strategies around social and racial justice issues are nationally recognized and applied.
Keep ReadingShow less
Douglas Rissing/Getty Images
Pharma Industry and Ballard Partners Dominate the Lobbying Space in Second Quarter of 2025
Aug 05, 2025
Pharmaceutical and health products companies continued to dominate the lobbying space in the second quarter of 2025, spending $105.4 million to influence public policy. That industry has spent more on lobbying than any other, during every quarter but one, since 2010, according to an OpenSecrets analysis of disclosure reports.
That total was down from the industry’s first-quarter total ($121.4 million) but still 38 percent more than the second biggest spender, the electronics industry.
Despite spending falling from the Q1 high, such lobbying totals far outpaced spending from any year prior — the drastic increase coinciding with President Donald Trump’s second term, with spending rising approximately $30 million from Q4 of 2024 to Q1 of 2025.
The pharmaceutical industry spent $22 million more in the first half of 2025 ($226.8 million) than it spent in the same period of the prior year, as the Trump administration and Republican-led Congress pushed through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will have a major impact on pharmaceutical companies.
Other industries that anticipate financial implication from Trump’s policies, such as education, health services and the environment, have upped their expenditures dramatically this year. For example, renewable energy lobbying jumped to $21.7 million in the second quarter of 2025 from $16.2 million Q2 of 2024 and $19.1 million in the first quarter of this year.
By the end of the year companies dealing with defense, federal appropriations, homeland security, Medicare and Medicaid, and taxes may spend record amounts on lobbying, with Q1 and Q2 numbers from this year already climbing past the 2024 totals. Each of those issue areas was affected by the OBBA, which poured billions of dollars into immigration control, made significant changes to health-related services like Medicaid, cut funding for green initiatives and extended tax cuts.
Other highlights
Top lobbying firms: Ballard Partners rose up the ranks to become the top lobbying firm of the second quarter, raking in $20 million. The firm, which is led by a top Trump fundraiser, earned $13.9 million in Q1 to lobby on mainly trade, government and health issues — jumping from the firm’s $4.3 million in Q1 of 2024. Both White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Attorney General Pam Bondi worked for Ballard before joining the administration, although that relationship hit some speed bumps earlier this year.
The previous quarter’s top firm — Brownstein, Hyatt — remains among the most active, earning $18.5 million for lobbying in Q2.
Top clients: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent the most on lobbying in Q2, at $19.8 million, up just $10,000 from the quarter prior. The National Association of Realtors spent the second highest amount on lobbying, funneling $16.2 million into legislation affecting housing affordability, disaster relief programs and other issues.
Biggest issue: The primary issue addressed in Q2 of 2025 was the federal budget and appropriations, which saw 4,396 organizations deploying lobbyists on the issue. In comparison, throughout all quarters in 2024, federal budget and appropriations saw 4,526 clients. The second largest issue in the second quarter — taxes — involved 2,118 clients, less than half the number working the spending issue.
Biggest legislation: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by Trump on July 4, precipitated a windfall of lobbying spending, both for and against the legislation’s passage. The Trump administration’s sweeping, almost-1,000-page bill was, by far, the most actively lobbied legislation of the quarter with 2,145 clients working the legislation. Blue Cross/Blue Shield was the most active organization, followed by the American Hospital Association.
The OBBBA added more than $150 billion to military spending and approximately $70 billion towards border wall construction, immigration detention centers, Immigration and Custom Enforcement hiring initiatives and technologies to monitor immigration. Another $75 billion was allocated to support ICE deportation programs. It will add trillions of dollars to the debt, despite cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP and environmental programs.
Biggest increases: The real estate industry increased its lobbying spending the most in the second quarter, in terms of raw dollars. It spent $34.1 million on lobbying in April-June, up $6 million from the first three months.
As a percentage of spending, the biggest increase came among organizations trying to influence abortion policy, with spending jumping 186 percent in the second quarter, to $827,000. Lobbying on abortion issues shot up to $702,000 after Trump won re-election in 2024.
UnitedHealth Group increased its lobbying activity to $3.7 million in Q2, up from $1.5 million in Q2 of 2024. America’s Health Insurance Plans also grew its lobbying expenditures from $2.4 million to $4.1 million in the same period.
The American Clean Power Association spent $630,000 on lobbying in Q2 of 2024 with such expenditures remaining stable until last quarter, when they jumped to $3.8 million. Environmental groups such as the Nature Conservancy bumped up their lobbying efforts from $840,000 in Q2 of 2024 to $2.3 million this quarter, and jumping 230 percent from Q1 of 2025. Such increases reflect the industry-wide effort to fortify sustainability-focused legislation, which has been heavily rolled back by Congress and the Trump administration.
Pharma Industry and Ballard Partners Dominate the Lobbying Space in Second Quarter of 2025 was originally published by Open Secrets and is republished with permission.
Natalie Jonas is a freelance investigative journalist.
Keep ReadingShow less
Load More