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Fighting to Understand

Let's see. ... The Constitution still works. Capitalism still works. Americans even agree on many basic human values. Yet something is amiss. It is as if we have forgotten how to be We The People. We will explain.

The organizations who are members of Citizenconnect.us were founded by people from all walks of life, political parties, races, identities, and religions. What they have in common is a conviction that America is stronger if we, the people, work together. It isn’t about agreeing on everything; it’s about finding what we can agree on and making it happen. This means that all the organizations on this site also share a set of core principles:


Civility

We treat one another with dignity and respect.

Fairness

We value diverse perspectives and work to achieve balanced outcomes.

Reason

We use fact-based deliberation to find common ground and practical solutions.

Citizen Connect has over 500 organizations focused on everything from election reform to civic education to restoring civil dialogue. They’re run by people who span the political spectrum – Republicans, Democrats and Independents. Check out our featured organizations below – or use our search tools to find your perfect match. Explore, learn more, then get connected!


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person reading a computer screen
man using computer inside room

Student-Led AI Initiative Aims to Tackle Misinformation

PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ — As generative artificial intelligence reshapes the digital landscape, a New Jersey student researcher is using the technology to combat media bias. Shaurya Jindal, an AI researcher and student at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, has launched Cogito News, an educational platform designed to build modern media literacy skills.

Cogito News was founded in response to growing concerns about partisan framing and selective sourcing in contemporary journalism. Recognizing that cognitive biases often influence how news is packaged and consumed, Jindal sought to build a tool that helps users critically evaluate the information they encounter daily. The platform's real-world impact and timely relevance were highlighted when Jindal was my guest on The Fulcrum Democracy Forum, an interview series dedicated to civic renewal and examining innovative approaches to strengthening democratic systems.

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​Michael Bridgford

Michael Bridgford campaigning

Independent Underdog Tours Iowa as Voters Seek Common‑Sense Change

Eight cities in eight different counties, all in one week. When we talk about cities in Iowa’s First Congressional District, keep in mind most are county seats with populations that often don’t reach 7,000. In the closing months of a political campaign in southeastern Iowa, chatter in those towns and cities centers on the cost of living, farmers' struggles, and the hot-button issue of data centers.

Michael Bridgford is tireless, but the challenge is daunting. I met him over lunch last spring when he was first considering a run. A long-time friend met him at a conference and told Michael he would connect him to a guy who won a long-shot campaign. I’m that guy. Running as a Republican, I upset a 32-year incumbent in deep-blue Madison, Wisconsin.

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US money being cut by a scissor
A pair of scissors cutting a continuous strip of one hundred dollar bills
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

Self-Interested Elite Supremacy, 1776 to 2026, and a Path Forward

For 250 years, U.S. elites have maintained supremacy by embedding self-interest into the nation’s foundational structures, translating economic power into political dominance. From the plantation economy and the Gilded Age to modern corporate lobbying, wealth consolidation has consistently undermined democratic equality to favor the ruling class.

This trajectory of elite control and self-interest unfolds across the following core eras:

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