Today's #ListenFirst Friday video focuses on the importance of overcoming political divides and coming together to combat climate change.
Video: #ListenFirst Friday Ellis Watamanuk
#ListenFirst Friday Ellis Watamanuk
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United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Photo by Alejandro Barba on Unsplash
Celebrating Congressional Excellence: Democracy Awards 2025
Sep 16, 2025
In a moment of bipartisan celebration, the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) will honor the winners of its 2025 Democracy Awards, spotlighting congressional offices that exemplify outstanding public service, operational excellence, and innovation in governance.
The ceremony, scheduled for this Thursday, September 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C., will recognize both Republican and Democratic offices across multiple categories, reinforcing the idea that excellence in Congress transcends party lines.
“These offices demonstrate that excellence in public service is not only possible, it is already happening,” said CMF CEO Jen Daulby. “These winners remind us of what Congress can be at its best”.
Among the categories and winners are:
Best in Bipartisan Engagement & Collaboration
- Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23)
- Rep. Don Davis (D-NC-01)
These offices demonstrated that meaningful progress is possible through cross-party cooperation.
Best in Innovation & Modernization
- Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK-05)
- Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Honored for implementing groundbreaking strategies that improved efficiency and responsiveness.
The full list of the 2025 Democracy Awards winners can be found on the CMF website.
The Democracy Awards are more than accolades—they’re a blueprint for what effective, citizen-centered governance can look like. Offices self-nominate and undergo a rigorous evaluation process, culminating in selection by an independent committee.
The Bridge Alliance Education Fund, which funds the Fulcrum, is a co-founder of CMF.
Hugo Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum and the publisher of the Latino News Network.
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man wearing a red baseball cap, yelling
AI generated
Hey Bro! Do You Think Trump Has Your Back?
Sep 14, 2025
This is an open letter to all bros. You're angry. You're disillusioned. And you have every right to be. The question is, what do you do about it? How do you do something that's going to improve your life, your future?
Does the answer lie in a political party? Both Republicans and Democrats certainly want your vote. However, you don't feel that you can look to the Democratic Party for help. They seem to be particularly interested in women, people of color, and immigrants. They haven't spoken to you or done anything for you.
It doesn't matter to you that 100 years ago, they were at the forefront of fighting for American workers against the power of big corporations. They enabled unions to become strong and improve the livelihood of workers. Democrats took action to improve worker safety and a range of other measures that enhanced workers' lives.
"That may be true," you say, "but then Democrats started pushing women's rights and the rights of people of color." Before that, it was mostly a White man's world. Whether you were a blue-collar or white-collar worker, White men were the predominant force. Women and people of color were certainly not a threat.
Now things are very different; you feel that it is you, a White man, who has to fight for what he wants. They say you're privileged because you're White, but as far as you're concerned, what does that matter if you see no way forward for yourself?
The country is at the point now where the White American worker feels neglected by the Democratic Party, and young bros feel like they have not only been overlooked, but they have never had the attention of the Party.
And so when Donald Trump came along and spoke with rage about the plight of the American worker and dissed all the efforts that had been undertaken to help women and people of color through DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) programs, you understandably listened up and said, "This man is speaking to me."
But wait a minute. Wouldn't you say that all people should be treated equally in the workplace? Should they have the same opportunities? I'm sure your answer is, "yes." But you understandably think it's not fair if some people—women and people of color—are given preference. That's not equal treatment, regardless of how much discrimination there was in the past.
You think Donald Trump may make things better for you? Regardless of what Donald Trump says—he sure does talk the talk—he does not walk the walk; he has done nothing that has or will help you gain strength.
All his efforts against DEI will not change the fact that women and people of color have a different status now than they had 50 years ago. They are and will be your competition. And keep in mind that he isn't attacking DEI to help you; he's just throwing red meat to his manosphere and White supremacist supporters.
To put yourself in the best position possible, you need to acquire the knowledge, talent, and energy necessary to succeed in competition. You can do it. Don't know where to turn? Demand that the government provide you with the resources and opportunity to make the most of yourself.
You have to realize that Donald Trump is a Republican, first and foremost. Certainly not an old-fashioned conservative Republican, but a Republican nonetheless. Virtually everything he has done—all his executive orders, his One Big Beautiful Act—all are for the benefit of the rich and the powerful. He is the friend of the true elite of this country—the big banks and corporations. The Republican Party under President Trump has not become the party of the people, as he and his MAGA allies claim. They have deceived you; they have used you to gain power.
Many of his followers react to the havoc he has created in government with glee because they don't trust government and feel that Reagan spoke the truth when he said, "Government is not the solution; government is the problem." But you have to understand that almost everything Trump is tearing down are programs that helped the average person, not just people of color and women.
Do you know that the majority of people living in poverty in the U.S. are White? That's a fact; not Black, not Hispanic, but White. So all the anti-poverty programs help more White people than people of color. You may not be living in poverty, but consider this. And all the business regulations he's getting rid of—the purpose of all that regulation was to protect the public, the average person—you. However, Trump favors deregulation because it undoubtedly pleases corporations.
So if you can't put your faith in Donald Trump, what about giving Democrats a chance? Don't turn away. You may not have had their attention in the past, but you sure do now! They have heard your complaints loud and clear, as voiced by your vote for Trump.
They are trying to figure out how to provide you with the support you need. Not just to get your vote, but because Democrats have a real concern for the well-being of all Americans. They may have f***ed up at times in the past, but they believe in the words of the Declaration of Independence that all people are created equal and all have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Give them a chance. See how they speak to you. But regardless of how they respond, know that Donald Trump will not only do nothing that improves your position in life, but he also has no interest in you. All he wants is your vote. And everything he says to get your vote is a sham, deceitful.
For both your own sake and the country's, consider what is truly in your best interest.
Ronald L. Hirsch is a teacher, legal aid lawyer, survey researcher, nonprofit executive, consultant, composer, author, and volunteer. He is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Chicago Law School and the author of We Still Hold These Truths. Read more of his writing at www.PreservingAmericanValues.com
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President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks to the media while signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on September 05, 2025 in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The Promise Presidency: How Trump Rewrote the Rules of Political Accountability
Sep 07, 2025
In the theater of American politics, promises are political capital. Most politicians make promises cautiously, knowing that if they fail to fulfill them, they will be held accountable
But Donald Trump has rewritten the script. He repeatedly offers sweeping vows, yet the results often don't follow; somehow, he escapes the day of reckoning.
How can that be?
Examples are abundant. From pledging to end the war in Ukraine "before taking office" to claiming he alone could denuclearize North Korea. And what is particularly unique is that Trump's declarations are rarely modest. Yet for some inexplicable reason, when his outcomes fail or when summits stall, walls remain unfunded, or health care reform collapses, he magically pivots, reframes, or moves on.
Through 12 years of Donald Trump, the spectacle continues, uninterrupted and many of us drown unfulfilled promises. The outrage and emotional venting flood the media, but strategic analysis is what the moment demands.
First, let's face the facts. Trump's actions are not just political bravado. His actions are a strategic recalibration of how promises function in public life that the opposition has not fully come to terms with.
With respect to the political calculus, it is essential to understand that Trump's supporters often don't measure him by policy outcomes, but rather by his emotional resonance. Those who voted for him didn’t do so just to see him manage effectively; he's a symbol of defiance, dominance, and disruption and as such results sometimes fall by the wayside. In this frame, broken promises aren't failures; they're part of the process of fighting "the swamp."
Donald Trump is a cult figure and thus success is measured by different standards.
Additionally, Trump's understanding of media saturation plays to his advantage. Trump floods the daily news cycle with constant messaging, burying yesterday's unmet pledge under today's provocation. The news cycle rarely lingers long enough for sustained accountability. And in a fragmented media landscape, tribal loyalty often trumps factual scrutiny. This all plays into the chaos theory that I have previously written about in the Fulcrum.
The ultimate cost to our democratic republic remains to be seen. When symbolic politics eclipse substantive governance, public trust erodes. Ultimately will the electorate care? Traditional theory suggests that success in politics is dependent on fulfilling promises and that words matter, and leaders are accountable to them. If that expectation collapses, we risk replacing deliberation with performance and policy with personality.
Will this traditional theory of accountability collapse under the weight of Trump's theatre? For the short term, it has, but the long-term ability for Trump to avoid accountability remains unclear. Historically, Americans tend to separate charisma from competence and when they do they demand accountability.
Of course, I might be old-fashioned in my thinking, believing that honest politics matters. Yet it is my faith in the American people that gives me hope anchored by civic awareness, a diligent media, and just basic common sense.
Whether I am a blind optimist or a fool will be apparent within the next three and a half years.
David Nevins is the publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.
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Screenshot from a video moments before US forces struck a boat in international waters off Venezuela, September 2.
The Return of American Imperialism
Sep 06, 2025
The Trump administration’s recent airstrike on a small vessel in the southern Caribbean—allegedly carrying narcotics and members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang—was not just a military maneuver. It was a signal. A signal that American imperialism, long cloaked in diplomacy and economic influence, is now being rebranded as counterterrorism and narcotics enforcement.
President Trump announced the strike with characteristic bravado, claiming the vessel was operated by “Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists.”
Trump said on Truth Social: The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!”
Eleven people were killed. No trial. No extradition. No independent verification. Just a grainy video and a declaration of guilt from 30,000 feet.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News, “This is a deadly serious mission for us, and it won’t stop with just this strike.” That statement should chill anyone who believes in proportionality, sovereignty, or the rule of law.
Let’s be clear: Tren de Aragua is a violent criminal organization. It has been linked to extortion, human trafficking, and regional instability. But according to InSight Crime, it is not a major player in international drug trafficking. And it is certainly not a transnational terrorist threat on par with ISIS or al-Qaeda.
So why the airstrike? Why the escalation?
Legal experts like Mark Nevitt, writing for Just Security, warn that labeling drug traffickers as terrorists could open the door to a new “forever war”—one where the U.S. president claims unchecked authority to kill civilians based on vague affiliations and unverified intelligence. “Applying a new label to an old problem does not transform the problem itself,” Nevitt writes. “Nor does it grant the U.S. president or the U.S. military expanded legal authority to kill civilians.”
This is not just about Venezuela. It’s about the precedent. It’s about the normalization of extrajudicial violence in the name of national security. It’s about the erosion of international norms and the reemergence of a foreign policy rooted in domination rather than diplomacy.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro called the strike “extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral, and absolutely criminal.” While Maduro’s own record on human rights is deeply troubling, his condemnation of the strike raises legitimate questions about sovereignty and the weaponization of U.S. power.
This is not the first time the U.S. has used Latin America as a proving ground for its military ambitions. From the Monroe Doctrine to the Cold War to the War on Drugs, the region has long been treated as a backyard—ripe for intervention, manipulation, and control.
But today’s imperialism is different. It’s not about boots on the ground. It’s about drones in the sky, algorithms in the war room, and narratives crafted to justify violence. It’s about redefining threats to fit political agendas and using military force to send messages rather than solve problems.
Mainstream media should not treat this strike as a one-off event. It is part of a pattern—a pattern of expanding executive power, eroding legal standards, and militarizing foreign policy under the guise of public safety.
We owe it to the public we serve to ask harder questions: Who decides who is a terrorist? What evidence is required before a missile is launched? And what happens when the line between law enforcement and warfare disappears altogether?
This is not just a story about a boat in the Caribbean. It’s a story about the future of American power—and whether we will continue to accept its most dangerous expressions without scrutiny or consequence.
Hugo Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum and the publisher of the Latino News Network.
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