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Video: An open letter to the America that will be

Video: An open letter to the America that will be
An Open Letter to the America That Will Be

A year ago, our nation faced one of its darkest days, as violent rioters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of our democratic elections. Never before has the fragility of our democracy been so apparent. Americans now face a fork in the road. We must come together to build a more perfect union that represents all of us. The time to act is now. Unite America shares An Open Letter to the America That Will Be.

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Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Rep. Derek Kilmer

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Rep. Derek Kilmer, two congressional workhorses, are retiring at the end of the year.

Congress is losing some of its best players this year

Fitch is a former CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation and a former Capitol Hill staffer.

The college basketball world got a jolt to its system this month when beloved University of Virginia coach Tony Bennett announced his retirement. A big loss for the Cavaliers, and even a loss for the sport. When great leaders or players leave an industry, it can cause significant harm for their organization and the people they serve.

Similarly, at the end of the 118th Congress, the House and Senate will lose a greater number of “superstar players” than at almost any other time in recent memory. Most of these public servants are not household names, yet that is the definition of a “workhorse” in Congress (in contrast to a “show horse”). They show up, put their heads together and hammer out bill after bill to benefit the American people.

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Julie Wise
Issue One

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Julie Wise

Minkin is a research associate at Issue One. Clapp is the campaign manager for election protection at Issue One. Whaley is the director of election protection at Issue One. Van Voorhis is a research intern at Issue One. Beckel is the research director for Issue One.

Julie Wise, who is not registered with any political party, has more than 24 years of election administration experience. Since 2000, she has worked for the board of elections in King County, Wash., an area that includes Seattle and is home to about 1.4 million registered voters. In 2015, she was elected the director of elections in a nonpartisan race, earning 72 percent of the vote. She was reelected in 2019 and 2023, when she garnered 84 percent of the vote.

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Skies over Haifa, Israel

The Israeli military fires Iron Dome missiles to intercept dozens of rockets launched from Lebanon at the northern port city of Haifa on Oct. 8.

Mati Milstein/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Is 'just war' just?

Johnson is a United Methodist pastor, the author of "Holding Up Your Corner: Talking About Race in Your Community" and program director for the Bridge Alliance, which houses The Fulcrum.

As rockets are once again streaking across the skies of the Middle East and the cries of the bereaved echo through its ravaged streets, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words and teachings reverberate like a mournful prayer in my spirit. They stir within me a deep sociopolitical and theological question, "Is 'just war' just?”

In this ongoing conflict, as in all wars, nation-states are forced to confront the terrible paradox of the just war theory — that the pursuit of justice can sometimes demand the violence it seeks to vanquish.

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Jimmy Carter watching election procedures

Former President Jimmy Carter observes voting procedures in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1990.

Cynthia Johnson/Liaison

Celebrate Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday and his work on elections

Merloe provides strategic advice on elections and democracy in the United States and internationally. He worked with former President Jimmy Carter on elections and democratic transitions on four continents.

On Oct. 1, President Jimmy Carter turns 100 years old. According to reports, he is concerned about the dynamics surrounding the 2024 election and hopeful that the United States will turn the page. That is no surprise given his devotion to this country and his dedication to fostering genuine elections around the world.

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