• Home
  • Opinion
  • Quizzes
  • Redistricting
  • Sections
  • About Us
  • Voting
  • Events
  • Civic Ed
  • Campaign Finance
  • Directory
  • Election Dissection
  • Fact Check
  • Glossary
  • Independent Voter News
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Subscriptions
  • Log in
Leveraging Our Differences
  • news & opinion
    • Big Picture
      • Civic Ed
      • Ethics
      • Leadership
      • Leveraging big ideas
      • Media
    • Business & Democracy
      • Corporate Responsibility
      • Impact Investment
      • Innovation & Incubation
      • Small Businesses
      • Stakeholder Capitalism
    • Elections
      • Campaign Finance
      • Independent Voter News
      • Redistricting
      • Voting
    • Government
      • Balance of Power
      • Budgeting
      • Congress
      • Judicial
      • Local
      • State
      • White House
    • Justice
      • Accountability
      • Anti-corruption
      • Budget equity
    • Columns
      • Beyond Right and Left
      • Civic Soul
      • Congress at a Crossroads
      • Cross-Partisan Visions
      • Democracy Pie
      • Our Freedom
  • Pop Culture
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
  • events
  • About
      • Mission
      • Advisory Board
      • Staff
      • Contact Us
Sign Up

Aubrey Neal

    FollowUnfollowFollowing
    Congress

    Can we all just get along? Now it is a question for Congress.

    Aubrey Neal
    Dean Peterson
    October 28, 2019
    Can we all just get along? Now it is a question for Congress.

    "The dysfunction in Congress mirrors these trends in our culture, its members having circled their wagons and given up even trying to get along," argue the authors.

    Zach Gibson/Getty Images

    Neal is federal government affairs manager and Peterson is vice president of public affairs at R Street Institute, a nonpartisan and pro-free-market public policy research organization.

    Rodney King's famous lament sums up our collective feelings and frustrations about society today.

    Passions are at a fever pitch. Our heated political debates have led family members to stop speaking to one another, individuals to live only around like-minded people, religious adherents to seek out worship spaces that only attract those whose political views match their own, and even people to only eat at restaurants or purchase items from brands that share their ideology.

    The dysfunction in Congress mirrors these trends in our culture, its members having circled their wagons and given up even trying to get along.

    Fortunately, Congress' greatest problem is also a solvable one and members don't have to be in leadership to help make it happen.

    Keep ReadingShow less
    congress

    Join an Upcoming Event

    View All Events
    Big Picture

    A year of broken standards for America’s democracy

    Aubrey Neal
    September 18, 2019
    State of the Union Address 2019

    During his State of the Union address this year, President Trump said he would stonewall the legislative process if members of Congress don't play ball, writes Neal.

    Zach Gibson/Getty Images

    Neal is federal government affairs manager at R Street Institute, a nonpartisan and pro-free-market public policy research organization.

    The term "democratic norms" has become a misnomer over the last year. America's governing institutions are undermined by elected officials who dishonor their offices and each other. Standards of behavior and "normal" processes of governance seem to be relics of a simpler time. Our democracy has survived thus far, but the wounds are many.

    Free speech and free press have been the White House's two consistent whipping posts. Comments such as "I think it is embarrassing for the country to allow protestors" and constant attacks on press credibility showcase President Trump's disdain for the pillars of democracy. Traditional interactions between the administration and the press are no longer taken for granted. Demeaning, toxic criticisms have become so common that they're being ignored. As the administration revokes critics' press passes and daily briefings are canceled, normalcy in this arena is sorely missed.

    Keep ReadingShow less
    big picture
    Get some Leverage Sign up for The Fulcrum Newsletter
    Follow
    Get some Leverage Sign up for The Fulcrum Newsletter
    Follow
    Contributors

    Reform in 2023: Leadership worth celebrating

    Layla Zaidane

    Two technology balancing acts

    Dave Anderson

    Reform in 2023: It’s time for the civil rights community to embrace independent voters

    Jeremy Gruber

    Congress’ fix to presidential votes lights the way for broader election reform

    Kevin Johnson

    Democrats and Republicans want the status quo, but we need to move Forward

    Christine Todd Whitman

    Reform in 2023: Building a beacon of hope in Boston

    Henry Santana
    Jerren Chang
    latest News

    Podcast: Deepening democracy in the states

    Our Staff
    8h

    Ask Joe: Fostering social activism

    Joe Weston
    8h

    With an eye on 2024, some states consider new protections for election workers

    Barbara Rodriguez, The 19th
    8h

    The crook and the fumbler

    Lawrence Goldstone
    26 January

    Pragmatism is the way forward

    Dave Anderson
    26 January

    Podcast: How the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack impacted politics

    Our Staff
    26 January
    Videos

    Video: Meet the citizen activists championing primary reform

    Our Staff

    Video: Veterans for Political Innovation - Who we are

    Our Staff

    Video: Want to fight polarization? Take a vacation!

    Our Staff

    Video: Kevin McCarthy is Speaker, but he's got a tough job ahead

    Our Staff

    Video: #ListenFirst Friday End of Year

    Our Staff

    Video: Minnesota Gov. Walz asks fellow Democrats to ‘Think Big’ when it comes to fixing voting issues

    Our Staff
    Podcasts

    Podcast: Deepening democracy in the states

    Our Staff
    8h

    Podcast: How the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack impacted politics

    Our Staff
    26 January

    Podcast: Why we misunderstand independent voters

    Our Staff
    25 January

    Podcast: What does the House Speaker election say about the Republican Party?

    Our Staff
    24 January
    Recommended
    Podcast: Deepening democracy in the states

    Podcast: Deepening democracy in the states

    Podcasts
    Ask Joe: Fostering social activism

    Ask Joe: Fostering social activism

    Pop Culture
    With an eye on 2024, some states consider new protections for election workers

    With an eye on 2024, some states consider new protections for election workers

    Elections
    The crook and the fumbler

    The crook and the fumbler

    Elections
    Pragmatism is the way forward

    Pragmatism is the way forward

    Big Picture
    Podcast: How the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack impacted politics

    Podcast: How the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack impacted politics

    Podcasts