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Video: Andrew Yang and Charlie Dent on the future of America's political parties

Andrew Yang and Charlie Dent on the future of America's political parties

Andrew Yang and Charlie Dent agree that something needs to change when it comes to America's political parties and its two-party system, but have different ideas about what that change should be. They discuss those ideas in a conversation moderated by McCourtney Institute for Democracy Communications Specialist Jenna Spinelle.

Charlie Dent is the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s fall 2021 visiting fellow and spent seven terms in Congress representing Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. Andrew Yang ran for president in 2020 and mayor of New York City earlier this year. Most recently, he founded the Forward Party, a movement that brings together people interested in solving America’s problems, debating ideas in good faith, and advocating for policies like open primaries and ranked-choice voting.


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A group of people wait in line to get their ballots to vote in the election.

A federal court sided with LAHSA, but LA nonprofits are still fronting millions to deliver government-funded homeless and DV services. Time to fix this

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What America Can Do About Its Uncontested Elections

Politics nerds have many ideas about how to strengthen American democracy; however, few directly address silent elections. For example, ranked-choice voting does nothing to encourage more candidates to run if there are not enough. Term limits increase turnover, but even newcomers can frequently run uncontested in general elections if they have won competitive primaries.

Fortunately, the cause isn’t hopeless. For one, tightening campaign finance laws would put potential challengers on more even footing with corporate-backed politicians, encouraging more candidates to run. Independent redistricting would also help. The Cook Political Report, a poll aggregator, considers only 69 of America’s 435 House districts competitive. Fair redistricting means more competitive districts and therefore more contested elections.

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Donald Trump

Donald Trump, Oval Office, August 2026

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The Immigration Argument Behind the SAVE America Act

In mid-July, President Trump gave a lengthy primetime address on election integrity in order to promote the "SAVE America Act." The bill would require voters to provide proof of citizenship at the ballot box, but it has drawn criticism.

However, over the speech's runtime, elections themselves are never the true subject.

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A rose stands on the 9/11 Memorial for the North Tower in front of 3 and 4 World Trade Center on September 7, 2026, in New York City.

A rose stands on the 9/11 Memorial for the North Tower in front of 3 and 4 World Trade Center on September 7, 2026, in New York City.

Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

The 9/11 Town Hall That Helped Rebuild Ground Zero—and Democracy

As the nation and the world pause this week to honor and reflect on the 25th Anniversary of the terrorist attack that brought down the twin towers of the World Trade Center and killed more than 3,000 people, I am moved to share a very personal reflection.

After serving as Chief of Staff to Governor Celeste of Ohio and in the Clinton-Gore Administration, where I experienced firsthand how the major institutions in our country interact to favor the powerful over we the people, I became deeply concerned about the health of our democracy. It was clear to me that, beyond voting and national polling, the American people were not at the table to influence the decisions that most affect their lives.

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