American democracy has a long and storied history of supporting change and renewal, from the abolition of slavery to the extension of the right to vote to the maintenance of a free press that can shine a light on those exercising power.
The Impact of Safe Seats
In recent years, however, a number of developments have sparked alarm about the health of the nation's democratic systems. For example, the proliferation of so-called safe seats – seats in statehouses or congressional districts that do not face competitive races and whose voting numbers are known to be unlikely to matter much in elections – has created gridlock, frustrated voters, and made it easier for extreme partisans to win control of Congress.
The Weaponization of Cultural Issues
These challenges, and others, have been amplified by the weaponization of cultural issues. These culture wars are fusing social and political divides into one, reviving a culture of polarization that had been discredited after the 1960s.
A Vision for American Democracy
This means that organizations and philanthropists seeking to save American democracy must develop strategies that are better suited to today's realities. They must focus on building a vision of what Americans are hoping for their future lives to look like, not just on abstractions like democracy.
Defining a Vision of American Democracy
Defining a vision of American democracy requires identifying how complex identities and needs intersect and what is required to make these identities more meaningful. It also requires thinking about how these needs are likely to be met and how people will be able to participate in the shaping of the nation's future.
The Importance of Education and Community
A deliberative democracy approach is a possible starting point for developing such a vision, but it would need to be designed carefully and with a particular focus on where the country is most at risk for losing its ability to deliver on these expectations. For instance, many Americans feel that their schools are failing to provide them with what they need to succeed. They also feel that their communities are becoming increasingly dangerous and are experiencing more isolation from each other. These feelings are especially prevalent among the poor and minorities who are often ignored by organizations that purport to represent them.
Meeting Vulnerable Groups Where They Are
These groups must be able to meet these Americans where they are most vulnerable and work to diffuse the hardened polarization that has grown over these decades, finding common ground on concrete issues. They could, for example, meet Americans at schooling facilities to discuss ways that teachers can make their schools safer and more inclusive.
Offering Concrete Ways for Improvement
The prodemocracy movement must be able to offer these citizens concrete ways of improving their lives and making their communities more secure, as well as a way of feeling rewarded and engaged for their efforts. These must be grounded in concrete policy ideas and philosophy that are geared toward helping Americans build a more equitable, prosperous society.
A Strong and Unified Prodemocracy Movement
A strong, unified prodemocracy grouping with which individuals can identify and belong without social opprobrium is the key to this. It must be large enough to deter efforts to pick prominent personalities off one by one, and it must offer a positive vision of what Americans are hoping for their futures to look like.
