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Democracy 21

Democracy 21 and the Democracy 21 Education Fund work to strengthen the integrity and fairness of our democracy and to increase the role of citizens in our political process. The organization brings unique policy and litigation experience and expertise to campaign finance and democracy issues, and to related government integrity, transparency and accountability issues. Since we began in 1997, the organization has played a leading national role in the efforts to address the nation's campaign finance problems through public education, litigation, and other efforts. D21 President Fred Wertheimer has played a key role in every major campaign finance reform and ethics battle in Congress since the post-Watergate reforms in the 1970s and has participated as a lawyer in every major Supreme Court campaign finance case during this period. Democracy 21 manages a coalition of reform groups that meet regularly to develop approaches and strategies for promoting democracy reforms.


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Not good, but we can’t just quit Iran now

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on July 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Members of the Trump administration appeared before the committee to request supplemental funding amid a recent escalation in the war with Iran.

(Getty Images)

Not good, but we can’t just quit Iran now

While President Trump threatens to destroy “ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT” in Iran for every shot they take at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, Americans back home are hoping and praying this folly of a war wraps up yesterday.

Strikes over the weekend brought the death toll for U.S. troops to 18, with 100 more injured; the Strait of Hormuz is essentially closed again, with Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen threatening to block other oil routes; gas prices are up 16 cents from the average a week ago, 88 cents higher than last year and $1.04 higher than the week before the war, per Politico; and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth admitted in a hearing on Tuesday that the conflict had already cost U.S. taxpayers $37.5 billion — as he asked for $67 billion more.

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Two coloured pencils one red and one blue drawing a reef knot on a white paper background.

Two Americans from opposite political perspectives explore patriotism, democracy, and the importance of finding common ground in an increasingly divided nation.

Getty Images, David Malan

Trust But Verify: A Conservative and a Progressive on Loving America Honestly

Patriotism with Reservations

I am unapologetically patriotic and deeply grateful to be an American. My father served in the United States Army for twenty years, and because of his service I had the opportunity to live abroad in places such as Germany and South Korea. Those experiences broadened my worldview and gave me a greater appreciation for other cultures and nations. Yet they also reinforced a conviction that has only grown stronger with time: there is no place quite like the United States of America. For all of our imperfections, America remains a remarkable experiment in liberty, opportunity, and self-government.

As a Black conservative American, I recognize that I did not personally endure slavery, segregation, or the Jim Crow era. Nevertheless, I cannot ignore the challenges confronting our nation today. I am troubled by the increasingly divisive rhetoric surrounding immigration, the toxic state of our political discourse, the growing extremism that has taken root on both the left and the right, and the willingness of some to flirt with authoritarian impulses when democracy becomes inconvenient. These developments give me pause. They do not diminish my love for America, but they do create reservations about the direction we are heading.

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Higher education sustains democracy despite the government’s attempts to restrict it
people sitting on chair in front of computer
Photo by Dom Fou on Unsplash

Higher education sustains democracy despite the government’s attempts to restrict it

For as long as I can remember, pursuing higher education at a college or university has been the ultimate goal.

My family instilled in me the value of higher education, and I made it my mission to attend college, knowing it would provide me with invaluable knowledge, opportunities, and a broader perspective on the world.

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Protecting the Right to Play in an Age of GenAI
person in red shirt wearing black and gray headphones
Photo by Compare Fibre on Unsplash

Protecting the Right to Play in an Age of GenAI

In June, Elon University launched its first AI Play camp. In one activity, teams of middle school students played Tic-Tac-Toe, not as a child might, but rather, like a machine. Tasked with writing and then following a set of fixed instructions, the students play the game as an AI agent would. That experience of following instructions and playing without improvisation is becoming surprisingly commonplace. Not by choice, but by default. The games and creative tools kids use to play with are now being played for them.

With a prompt, AI can now generate a Roblox universe, create an epic build in Minecraft, finish a half‑drawn character, or turn a rough story idea into a finished one.

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