Take Back Our Republic
From the website:
“While many people are resigned to the current state of affairs in the campaign finance arena, we believe there is much that can and should be done to fix this broken system. We believe that the way in which we elect our officials is not a partisan issue; it is an American issue. But it is an issue that far too many people feel is beyond their control, that far too few people engage in, and that far too often lacks solutions consistent with conservative principles.
Our organization was formed and is run by individuals who understand the political process from the inside out, and are now seeking to educate people about the power they have to shape the process from the outside in. Our staff members have participated in elections of all shapes and sizes across this great nation. Rather than standing idly by as those who seek to buy political favor continue to exert a disproportionate impact on our political process, we are determined to educate and engage the citizens of this great land who are both disenfranchised with and disgusted by the entire political process. We want to educate people about the real issues, the real challenges, and help them to see that there are real solutions. We want people to see that this important debate need not be one-sided.
We believe that a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” is not one beholden to big business and union influence. We believe that once individuals better understand these issues, and understand that there are many more like them who share their disdain for the status quo, the natural outgrowth of this understanding will be a better engaged and more involved citizenry. And then the people – not us, nor any corporation or special interest – with eyes wide open will realize their power to Take Back Our Republic.”
Centrist Project
http://www.centristproject.org/mission
From the website:
“Our political system is at a crossroads. Our two parties are producing zero results for the American people, as they are more focused on running to the extremes to win elections than coming to center to solve problems. The political pendulum swings back and forth, but very little is getting done. It’s time to change the equation.
We’re surrounded by innovation every day. Companies and organizations that weren’t around ten years ago have revolutionized the way we travel, communicate, entertain, live, and learn. But in politics, we’re stuck with two choices that most of us don’t like. We think some innovation is long overdue to make our politics more representative of and responsive to all Americans.
The Centrist Project aims to reshape and reform our political system – not as a traditional third party, but as America’s first Unparty. We are a 21st Century political organization dedicated to organizing Centrist voters and supporting independent candidates who desire to put our country ahead of any political faction in order to solve problems.”
Open Primaries
http://www.openprimaries.org/mission
From the website:
“Open Primaries is a movement of diverse Americans who believe in a simple, yet radical idea: no American should be required to join a political party to exercise their right to vote.
The mission of Open Primaries is to advocate for open and nonpartisan primary systems, counter efforts to impose closed primaries, educate voters, train and support spokespeople, and participate in the building of local, state and national open primaries coalitions. During the 1920’s, partisan primary elections were enacted to curb the power of party bosses and bring voters into the process of selecting party nominees. Today, 40% of voters do not wish to enroll in a political party, and closed primaries bar them from voting.
Closed primaries also make it more difficult for new coalitions to form and for Americans–both voters and elected officials–to come together across ideological lines. Open Primaries’ commitment is to public education and to leading legal, legislative and direct ballot initiative campaigns to enact and protect open primaries.”
Spread the Vote
https://www.spreadthevote.org/about-us/
From the website:
“We believe that voting is a fundamental right. We believe that “voter ID” laws are poll taxes. We believe that the only way to change our country is to ensure that every citizen can vote, and if that means that they need a state ID, then we’ll make sure they have one.”
Congressional Management Foundation
http://www.congressfoundation.org/about-cmf
From the website:
“Citizen trust in an effective and responsive Congress is essential to democracy. The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) advances this goal by working directly with Members of Congress and staff to enhance their operations and interactions with constituents. CMF works directly with citizen groups to educate them on how Congress works, giving constituents a stronger voice in policy outcomes. The results are: a Congress more accountable, transparent, and effective; and an informed citizenry with greater trust in their democratic institutions.”
The Independent Voter Network
https://ivn.us/2013/12/13/independent-voter-network-ivn/
“The mission of IVN.us is to raise the level of civil discourse to a place where solutions are more persuasive than talking points, and participation is not conditioned on your party affiliation.
IVN is committed to the belief that democracy functions best when the most people participate. Today’s political climate discourages such a participatory democracy. This is evidenced by the fact that current congressional approval rating is just over 10%. Trust in the news media is under 40%. And, most importantly, voters are fleeing the parties in record numbers, with 40% of Americans self-identified as independent voters.
These voters tend to vote less frequently and have less of a voice than their partisan counterparts because both our electoral process and our media outlets have divided the population along partisan lines; those who don’t fit within the lines get left out.
The purpose of IVN.us is to provide unfiltered political news and policy analysis across the political spectrum. Unlike traditional media outlets and elsewhere in the “blogosphere” where the diversity of viewpoints is often reduced into partisan circles, IVN actively encourages writers and readers of differing political tendencies to engage in a constructive dialogue.”
Political Orphans
http://politicalorphans.com/welcome-to-political-orphans/
From the website:
“Election 2016 has produced a generation of political orphans. One party has embraced white nationalism while the other struggles to sustain an unsteady coalition of ‘everyone else.’ Third parties, cut off from any credible path to power, remain the domain of political hobbyists and misfits. Limited to these choices, a vast pool of voters find their voices muted and their interests stifled. Our system provides few credible outlets for those alienated from the two major parties. We need a place for those left behind.
Our goal is to foster thoughtful, considered engagement on difficult subjects where passions often run high. That isn’t easy, but it is more important than ever. Many of the policies that defined our two major parties since World War II are spent, but too few alternatives are emerging from those institutions. At PoliticalOphans, we hope to provide an online community in which new ideas can flourish and new alignments can form.”
Equality Rules
https://www.equalityrules.org/
From the website:
“Equality Rules is a Political Action Committee dedicated to bringing fairness back to our elections. Our team includes leading experts in voter protection, election law, and campaign strategy. You can learn more about our perspective on our blog.
We’re supported by donations from people like you, and we use those donations to fight back against voter suppression and to protect voting rights across the country. We’re increasing awareness of the problem, advocating for legislation and politicians who expand the right to vote, and defeating legislation and political candidates who undermine it. Help us stop the political power grab. The time is now.”
Congressional Dish (podcast)
http://www.congressionaldish.com/about/
From the website:
“Congressional Dish is different from the “political” shows you have seen on television and have heard on the radio. Congressional Dish is not owned by a big company. There are no screaming matches. There are no commercials. The listener-supported Congressional Dish podcast is a show about the Congress and Jennifer Briney, the host, reads the bills that they pass.
If you are an American, you are your Representative’s boss and this show will help you judge their job performance. Using the information from Congressional Dish, you can decide if their actions represent you and choose whether to re-hire or fire them. This show makes your job easy, explaining complicated legislation in a way anyone can understand and exposing Representatives who accept legal bribes (“campaign contributions”) from industries that benefit from their bills. Congressional Dish will introduce you to the people using and misusing your government, and you may even laugh a few times along the way.”
No Labels
https://www.nolabels.org/philosophy/
From the website:
“American politics is more unpredictable than ever. Which makes it even more important to have a stabilizing force within our Congress; a bloc of elected officials who combine ideological independence and common sense with a willingness to reach across the aisle to get things done. The creation of such a bloc is the central mission of No Labels.”
Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org)
http://www.opensecrets.org/about/
From the website:
“Nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit, the Center for Responsive Politics is the nation’s premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.
OUR VISION is for Americans, empowered by access to clear and unbiased information about money’s role in politics and policy, to use that knowledge to strengthen our democracy.
OUR MISSION is to produce and disseminate peerless data and analysis on money in politics to inform and engage Americans, champion transparency, and expose disproportionate or undue influence on public policy.”
We pursue our mission largely through our award-winning website, OpenSecrets.org, which is the most comprehensive resource for federal campaign contributions, lobbying data and analysis available anywhere. And for other organizations and news media, the Center’s exclusive data powers their online features tracking money in politics – counting cash to make change.”
Third Way
http://www.thirdway.org/about/the-center
From the website:
“If you, like us, are a moderate, you are not alone.
You weigh arguments from both sides. You see complexity where others find certainty. You don’t shout down discussion. You see the folly of absolutes. Compromise is a virtue. You are willing to give a little to get a little. You want government to work and believe it can, but fear it won’t. Your decision is not whether to vote, but for whom to vote. You are willing to be persuaded. You are a moderate; you occupy the center. You represent the plurality of the national electorate. You are interesting. And you are not alone.”
Americans Elect
http://www.americanselect.org/
From the website:
“Politics aren’t working for people. This problem must be addressed at the root by fixing the way we elect our leaders. Changing the system by creating the first nonpartisan, national online presidential primary is a daunting task—changing history usually is. Millions of people now support Americans Elect, and we are humbled by that. We are confident that our founding idea can lead to the change Americans are seeking. There is much more to do.”
Republican Main Street Partnership
https://republicanmainstreet.org/about/history/
From the website:
“The Republican Main Street Partnership was founded in 1997 with the goal of strengthening the governing wing of the Republican Party. Its founders intended it to promote thoughtful leadership and to develop and advocate for pragmatic, commonsense solutions to the challenges our country faces.”
Government Affairs Institute (Georgetown University)
From the website:
“The Government Affairs Institute (GAI) has been conducting courses on Capitol Hill since 1965. For thirty years GAI was part of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. In 1995 GAI was privatized by the federal government, and in 1997 it became affiliated with Georgetown University and the McCourt School of Public Policy.
GAI’s mission is to provide education and training about congressional processes, organization, and practices, and about selected legislative policy issues. By better understanding the functions and organization of Congress, executive branch personnel and others with a direct interest in federal programs can more effectively plan, manage, and budget for those programs, and better represent those programs before Congress.”
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
http://www.cbpp.org/about/mission-history
From the website:
“We are a nonpartisan research and policy institute. We pursue federal and state policies designed both to reduce poverty and inequality and to restore fiscal responsibility in equitable and effective ways. We apply our deep expertise in budget and tax issues and in programs and policies that help low-income people, in order to help inform debates and achieve better policy outcomes.”
Revise and Extend (blog)
http://gai.georgetown.edu/resources-publications/blog/
From the website:
“Revise and Extend is a blog dedicated to providing practical and academic perspectives on congressional policy, politics, and procedure. Managed by the faculty and staff at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, and in line with our organization’s mission, we hope this blog is an important source of information for individuals wanting to know more about congressional operations, member behavior, and, more broadly, American politics.
GAI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, conducting courses on Capitol Hill since 1965. For thirty years, GAI was part of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. In 1995 GAI was privatized by the federal government, and in 1997 it became affiliated with Georgetown University and the McCourt School of Public Policy. GAI’s mission is to provide education and training about congressional processes, organization, and practices, and about selected legislative policy issues.”
Public Citizen
http://www.citizen.org/Page.aspx?pid=2306
From the website:
“Corporations have their lobbyists in Washington, D.C. The people need advocates too.
Public Citizen serves as the people’s voice in the nation’s capital. Since our founding in 1971, we have delved into an array of areas, but our work on each issue shares an overarching goal: To ensure that all citizens are represented in the halls of power.
For four decades, we have proudly championed citizen interests before Congress, the executive branch agencies and the courts. We have successfully challenged the abusive practices of the pharmaceutical, nuclear and automobile industries, and many others. We are leading the charge against undemocratic trade agreements that advance the interests of mega-corporations at the expense of citizens worldwide.
As the federal government wrestles with critical issues – fallout from the global economic crisis, health care reform, climate change and so much more – Public Citizen is needed now more than ever. We are the countervailing force to corporate power. We fight on behalf of all Americans – to make sure your government works for you.”
Sunlight Foundation
https://sunlightfoundation.com/about/
From the website:
“The Sunlight Foundation is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that uses technology, open data, policy analysis and journalism to make our government and politics more accountable and transparent to all. Our vision is for technology to enable more complete, equitable and effective democratic participation. Our overarching goal is to achieve changes in the law to require real-time, online transparency for all government information. And, while our work began in 2006 with only a focus on the U.S. Congress, our open government work now takes place at the local, state, federal and international levels.
We believe that information is power, or, to put it more finely, disproportionate access to information is power. We are committed to improving access to government information by making it available online, indeed redefining “public” information as meaning “online.”
We approach our work in a number of ways. We work with thousands of software developers, local transparency activists, bloggers, on and off-line active citizens and journalists, involving them in distributed research projects, hackathons and training. Sunlight’s Policy team pushes for improved transparency policy through NGO efforts like OpeningParliament.org, and by working directly with governments at all levels. Our writers cover political influence and government transparency using data journalism techniques.”
Center for Effective Government
http://www.foreffectivegov.org/about-us
From the website:
“Our mission is to build an open, accountable government that invests in the common good, protects people and the environment, and advances the national priorities defined by an active, informed citizenry.
We conduct research and policy analyses; develop new policy and reform ideas; encourage citizen participation and government accountability; and build broad-based coalitions to advance these values. To ensure the American people understand the vital role of government, we produce and disseminate educational tools and materials. We are a resource for policymakers, the media, advocacy allies, community organizations, and citizens.”
Better Government Association (Illinois)
http://www.bettergov.org/about
The Better Government Association is a full-service watchdog organization. We’re shining a light on government in Illinois and holding public officials accountable.
The BGA’s mission is to promote integrity, transparency and accountability in government by exposing waste, fraud and corruption, advocating effective public policy and informing and engaging the community.
The BGA works within Five Pillars of Action — to investigate, litigate, educate, advocate and communicate — in an effort to bring better government to Illinois. We go beyond exposing problems to proposing solutions and advocating good government reforms.”
Brennan Center for Justice
http://www.brennancenter.org/about
From the website:
“The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve our systems of democracy and justice. We work to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. The Center’s work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from ending mass incarceration to preserving Constitutional protection in the fight against terrorism. Part think tank, part advocacy group, part cutting-edge communications hub, we start with rigorous research. We craft innovative policies. And we fight for them — in Congress and the states, the courts, and in the court of public opinion.”
MayDay
From the website:
“Mayday (MAYDAY.US) is an independent political action committee (PAC) dedicated to electing a Congress that would pass fundamental reform of the way campaigns are funded. Achieving our goals would mean that we would be the last super PAC. Our average donation is about $40. We are transitioning into an organization that can also work in state and local races to reform all levels of government.
The core problem with our Congress today is the way campaigns are funded. Members spend between 30% and 70% of their time raising money, but they raise that money from less than 2% of us. The top 100 contributors in 2014 gave as much as the bottom 4.75 million. Less than .04% gave the maximum contribution in even one cycle.
Fundamental reform” means changing that system. We support reforms from both Democrats and Republicans that would change the way campaigns raise their money – so that their money comes from all of us, and not the privileged few. You can read the reforms we support at RepsWith.US/reforms.”
Democracy 21
http://www.democracy21.org/our-mission/
From the website:
“Democracy 21 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to making democracy work for all Americans.
Democracy 21, and its education arm, Democracy 21 Education Fund, work to eliminate the undue influence of big money in American politics, prevent government corruption, empower citizens in the political process and ensure the integrity and fairness of government decisions and elections. The organization promotes campaign finance reform and other related political reforms to accomplish these goals.”
CounterPAC
http://www.counterpac.org/mission/
From the website:
“An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that money in politics is a problem. But how do we fix it? At CounterPAC, we believe the answer lies in changing incentive structures.
Like any other rational actors, politicians make decisions based on what’s in their self-interest – in this case, whatever helps them get elected to office. Because politicians rely on campaign money to reach and persuade voters, all other things being equal, they aren’t going to drive the change we need of their own accord.
Theoretically, voters could incentivize politicians to take action on this issue by holding them accountable at the ballot box. Problematically, however, 91% of Americans currently believe it’s impossible to achieve the reform we need. Without a public expectation of reform, there can be no public accountability for politicians who fail to take action – and thus no incentive for them to do so.
The result is a vicious cycle: money’s corruption of our elections begets public cynicism; accountability mechanisms fail because the public is cynical rather than engaged; and without anything to keep corruption in check, it grows worse.”
Project Vote
http://www.projectvote.org/about/
From the website:
“American democracy is always a work in progress. Our nation was founded on the dream of a system of government that truly represented the will of the people. However, who those people were, and how loudly they spoke, has been contested—often bitterly. Today, more than 200 years after our country’s founding, Americans are still fighting—in the streets, in the courts, and in legislatures—to expand the franchise and achieve a more perfect electorate.
Project Vote is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded on the belief that an organized, diverse electorate is the key to a better America. Project Vote’s mission is to build an electorate that accurately represents the diversity of this nation’s citizenry, and to ensure that every eligible citizen can register, vote, and cast a ballot that counts.”
North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections
Founded in 1999, NCVCE seeks to improve the vitality of democracy in North Carolina by enacting a voluntary public financing program for state-level candidates who earn the public’s trust. A Voter-Owned, Clean Elections program would encourage candidates to reject all special-interest donations and rely solely on voters for their support.”
NCVCE coordinates lobbying efforts and advocacy reforms for its allies and affiliates. We provide groups with speakers, research and literature on money in politics. We also coordinate leadership trainings and other programs with coalition partners that highlight how private money impacts politics.
The Committee for Ranked Choice Voting (Maine)
We need a system that works – where candidates with the best ideas, not the biggest bank accounts have a fighting chance. You should never have to vote for the “lesser of two evils” when there is another candidate you like better.
Vote “Yes” on Question 5 this November to change the way we elect our leaders, and to give Maine voters more voice and more choice in our democracy.”
The Democracy Fund
http://www.democracyfund.org/about-us
From the website:
“The Democracy Fund is a bipartisan foundation established by eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar to help ensure that the American people come first in our democracy.
Pierre Omidyar created the Democracy Fund out of deep respect for the U.S. Constitution and our nation’s core democratic values. While no democracy is perfect, the American system has endured through times of severe stress and dramatic social change. This system has proven its value and continues to hold the promise of effective, representative governance. Today, technologies and innovations offer new opportunities for public engagement in a more vibrant democracy — even as serious challenges including hyper-partisanship, money in politics, and struggling media threaten the health of our political system.
We believe the best days of American democracy lie ahead. Bipartisan solutions can modernize our elections. Digital advances can help people engage in civic life. New incentives can encourage political leaders to find principled compromise and address our country’s greatest challenges.
The Democracy Fund is a resource for those who want to strengthen our nation’s democracy. We invest in change makers whose ideas and energy can make a difference. We advocate for solutions that can bring lasting improvement to our political system. We build bridges that help people come together to serve the nation, moving us closer to the ideal of a government of, by, and for the people.”
Women Also Know Stuff: Legislative Politics (scholars)
http://womenalsoknowstuff.com/legislative-politics/
Experts in many process-related issues.
End Gerrymandering Now (North Carolina)
http://endgerrymanderingnow.org/why-reform/
From the website:
“North Carolina needs redistricting that is transparent, fair, impartial, and non-partisan.
Redistricting that:
Ensures fairness for ALL North Carolinians
Makes every vote count
Promotes public confidence in our political system
Makes government in North Carolina work for everyone
Reduces bitter partisan divisions in the NC General Assembly and avoids costly, lengthy legal battles
Serves the best interests of our state.
We owe it to the future generations to make these positive changes now.”
Point of Order (blog)
http://www.pointoforder.com/about/
From the website:
“Michael Stern specializes in legal issues affecting Congress, including congressional ethics, elections, investigations, and lobbying. He served as Senior Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996 to 2004. He later served as Deputy Staff Director for Investigations for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Special Counsel to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He co-chairs the D.C. Bar’s Administrative Law and Agency Practice Section and serves on the ABA Task Force on Lobbying Reform. Needless to say, the views expressed here are entirely his own, and should in no way be ascribed to the DC Bar, the ABA, or, heaven forfend, the United States Congress.”
The Bright Lines Project
http://www.brightlinesproject.org/about-us/
From the website:
“The Bright Lines Project (BLP) is housed at Public Citizen. Public Citizen funds and staffs the project, but it operates as a consensus project involving a diverse coalition of nonprofit leaders, organizations, and tax law experts.
Built upon five years of discussion and feedback, a committee of nine tax law experts, chaired by Greg Colvin (with Beth Kingsley as vice chair), has developed a set of proposed rules which are designed to clarify the IRS regulations governing nonprofit organizations’ political activities.”
The Center for Political Accountability
http://politicalaccountability.net/
From the website:
“The Center for Political Accountability is spearheading the effort to bring transparency and accountability to corporate political spending and change company political spending norms. CPA is achieving results by directly engaging companies to improve disclosure and oversight of their political spending with corporate funds.”
Get Money Out
http://www.getmoneyoutaction.org/problem/
From the website:
“The corrosive influence of money in elections and the concentration of political power in the hands of an elite fraction of the American population have shattered the American vision of government of, by, and for the people.
A small minority of special interests and wealthy donors dominate spending on modern U.S. elections. A mere quarter of a percent of all Americans contributed 66% of the nearly $4 billion political candidates, parties and outside groups spent in the 2014 elections. All of this money shuts most Americans out of the debate and allows the voices and policy preferences of this elite few to overwhelm those of everyday Americans.
Now is the time to build a democracy where the size of your wallet does not determine the strength of your voice in our government and where all citizens have an equal voice in deciding who represents them.”
The Democracy Initiative
http://www.democracyinitiative.org/about-democracy-initiative
From the website:
“The Democracy Initiative is a dynamic network of organizations launched in 2013 working toward a bright future in which all Americans participate fully and freely in the democratic process. We believe that the voice of every citizen should be heard and counted, so all of us have an equal say in a democracy that is of, by, and for the people. Our endorsing organizations pursue a diverse range of progressive goals, including civil rights, workers’ rights, women’s rights, and climate justice, but we know that success in any of these areas depends on reforming our democracy.
United by a shared vision for a political process that counts every voice and every vote equally, we are mobilizing members of Democracy Initiative organizations to ensure that all Americans can vote, diminish the influence of corporate and special interests, and halt the obstruction that has thrown our Congress out of balance. Together, we can break down these barriers and protect our democracy from the systematic effort to shift power from the many to a wealthy few by silencing our voices in the workplace, in the ballot box, and in the offices of our elected officials.”
Every Voice
http://everyvoice.org/the-issue
From the website:
“BIG MONEY IN POLITICS
America’s history is a story of overcoming injustices. No taxation without representation. Abolition. Women’s suffrage. Civil rights. Marriage equality. We constantly seek progress. We are always pursuing a more perfect union.
The great national tradition of sticking up for the little guy is burned into our DNA. We back the underdog. We love the revolutionaries and pursue moonshot ideas. We innovate. We start up. We celebrate David beating Goliath in sports, culture, and especially politics. Long odds and powerful opponents don’t deter us from working to advance justice and freedom.
We also know in our hearts and our heads that progress is often forged in response to crises. We are at our best when confronted with the worst. We come together to fight in the face of great wrongs.
And so it is with money in politics. Americans know our democracy is cheapened when a small number of the wealthiest among us are more important than the rest of us. We know that laws are too often written by the highest bidder. We know that the game is rigged against the majority of us.
Changing the game won’t be easy. The courts are against us on basic democratic freedoms. Too many politicians offer lip service on the issue of money in politics while handing our elections over to big donors. Congressional gridlock blocks reform. The big banks, energy companies, and other industries and special interests act as if they own Washington and our state capitals.
This is the next big American crisis. Now is our time to come together to fight this injustice. This is our Goliath to slay. Those who oppose us will find themselves on the wrong side of history.”
Run For America
From the website:
“Over the past decade, nearly every industry has had a fundamental operating system shift that has led to its democratization, from education, to entertainment, to hospitality, to transportation. But one sector remains wholly unchanged: Politics. In fact it’s getting worse…
Run for America is a citizen-powered movement across the political spectrum to reimagine politics, reinvigorate government, and restore the promise of America for the 21st century. Over the next decade, Run For America will inspire, recruit, and equip a new generation of candidates, supporters, voters, and donors to transform the operating system of American politics.”
The Congressional Institute
From the website:
“The Congressional Institute was established in 1987 for the intellectual and social benefit of Members of Congress and to provide educational information about Congress to the general public.
The Institute sponsors major conferences for the benefit of Members of the US Congress and their staffs. Since 1987, the Congressional Institute has held an annual “Congress of Tomorrow” for U.S. House and/or Senate Members. Past annual issue conferences have included: Federal Hall at New York, NY, “Congress of Tomorrow” at Houston, three “Congresses of Tomorrow” at Princeton, NJ, and “Congresses of Tomorrow” at Salisbury, MD, Leesburg, VA, Williamsburg, VA, White Sulphur Springs, WV, Philadelphia, PA, and Cambridge, MD. A “Women of the 21st Century” conference at St. Louis discussed issues which concern women beyond the traditional “women’s issues”. The Institute was also involved with the planning and execution of the first Bipartisan Congressional Retreat, and has conducted conferences for Congressional chiefs of staff. Other, smaller conferences have dealt with fundamental values in policy development with specific emphasis on health care, tax reform, the environment, congressional structure and process reform, campaign reform and congressional family issues. The Institute also conducts research on a variety of important issues and publishes a House Floor Procedures Manual at the beginning of each Congress.”
The Legislative Effectiveness Project
http://www.thelawmakers.org/#/about
From the website:
“Why are some members of Congress better than others at lawmaking, from introducing bills, to advocating for them in committee hearings and floor debate, to enacting new laws? And how does variation in legislators’ effectiveness affect the organization of Congress and the creation of American public policy?
To answer these questions, we develop Legislative Effectiveness Scores (averaged to 1 in each Congress) for each member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the early 1970s through the present. In Legislative Effectiveness in the United States Congress: The Lawmakers, we employ these scores to explore how parties influence legislative policymaking, what strategies women and African Americans use to promote their policy goals, and how entrepreneurial lawmakers can develop issue expertise to overcome party polarization and policy gridlock. We also highlight the twenty most effective rank-and-file Representatives of the past 40 years, identify the strategies and habits that legislators can use to become effective lawmakers, and discuss how American voters can focus on legislative effectiveness to promote a better democracy.
We also highlight several related research projects here. Finally, the Legislative Effectiveness Project will continue to update Representatives’ Legislative Effectiveness Scores in future years to provide scholars, journalists, and members of the general public with information about the relative successes of Members of the contemporary Congress.”
Unlock Congress
“Americans are receiving a defective product from the U.S. Congress, and it costs us in countless ways every day. The backwards rules in the system are the strongest drivers of this appalling performance – far more so than our individual representatives. Unlock Congress is a new book and non-partisan effort geared toward reforming the rules, in order to steer our warped congressional process back onto the rails.
Most members of Congress work hard and make genuine sacrifices to represent the rest of us. Sadly, however, they are now trapped in a skewed system where wrongheaded rules distort the process, preventing them from promoting the country’s general welfare. Once in office, our would-be legislators are forced to behave like cash-chasing, election-obsessed hamsters, sprinting atop a greased political wheel that is pegged to the maximum speed setting – with no “off” switch.
Rather than narrowly affixing blame to individual politicians, Unlock Congress takes a methodical approach to diagnosing the causes behind the breakdown. Since we know that 85-95% of Americans believe Congress is delivering a poor PRODUCT, it only makes sense to investigate the system’s defects and define the PROBLEM. Informing Americans about the major causes of this problem and advocating a corresponding PLATFORM of solutions are the twin goals of Unlock Congress. Once we correct the flaws in the system, America’s elected leaders will be able to more effectively communicate, negotiate, and develop solutions to meet the nation’s great challenges.”
The Green Papers
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/Mission2009.phtml
“WELCOME to THE GREEN PAPERS, a web site dedicated to the dissemination of facts, figures, tidbits and commentary- in fact, information of many different kinds- related (primarily) to the American political process. We sincerely hope you very easily find the kind of information you are looking for here, perhaps even information- all gathered here in one place- you might not so easily find anywhere else.
Although we have been adding various and sundry data related to things such as the U.S. Federal Judiciary and International Politics (including the United Nations), the principal mission of this web site remains- as it has ever been since this site’s earliest days on the Internet- to try and explain the process through which candidates for each Federal and Statewide elective office here in the United States of America are nominated by their respective Political Parties (or achieve access to the ballot by petition if Independents), with our major focus being- as it originally was back when this site first went online going into the 2000 Elections- the “big show” of an election which determines who will be taking the oath of office as President of the United States on the steps of the U.S. Capitol shortly after noon on 20 January every four years…….”
Listen to Us
“America demands that we have leaders who put Country over Party using the Common Good as our guiding star. We need a new way forward. If we want to change our government, we have to change our politics.
Political partisans and the entrenched two-party system (or “duopoly”) have been too loud and too powerful for too long. They seem to respond only to special interests and personal ambition, putting their egos ahead of our community interests.”
The Campaign Legal Center
http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/about/who-we-are
From the website:
“The Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D.C., is home to the nation’s premier election law experts. We are the lawyers for our democracy, fighting for your fundamental right to participate in the political process.
Most Americans do not feel they have a voice in the democratic process. As many as 80 percent of voters of both parties believe the government and our political system is out of touch with the average citizens it should represent. Recent government failures have threatened the health of our democracy. These include the U.S. Supreme Court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act, the Citizens United decision undermining our campaign finance laws, and legislative inaction and regulatory gridlock, which have given us corrupting dark money.
But the crisis we face today is not unique. There have always been, and will continue to be, a miniscule number of extremely wealthy Americans who seek to play a dominant role in elections, while groups of voters are pushed out of the electorate, or have their voices drowned out by special interests with special access. Despite these challenges, over the course of our nation’s history – through war, political upheaval and economic disaster – Americans have continued to renew and expand our democracy.
The Campaign Legal Center, recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, is leading that charge today. Our mission is to improve our democracy and protect the fundamental right of all Americans to participate in the political process. For nearly 15 years, we have been the leader in our vision for reform. We are home to the premier election law experts and we are the only organization in the field exclusively dedicated to working through the entire cycle of democracy reform. We conceptualize and advise on drafting of laws, we fight for enforcement of the laws once passed and we defend these laws when challenged. Through our work, we aim to ensure that every American has the right to fully participate in shaping the laws and policies that directly impact their lives.”
Issue One
https://www.issueone.org/why-it-matters-2/
From the website:
“When money talks, Congress listens.
When our founders created our system of self-government, it was the greatest political innovation in history. But today, the American experiment is in danger. Our government is no longer responsive to the people because our politics and policymaking are dominated by money, creating a rigged system where most Americans are shut out of the political process. While Congress prioritizes chasing money for re-election, our country stumbles from one self-imposed crisis to the next. Our legislature is seen by the public as more responsive to donors than to voters. Congress lacks in-house expertise on policy matters and technology, resulting in its reliance on lobbyists and interest groups. And we have to live with the consequences. We can’t rise to our greatest challenges as a country because good policy and effective governance have been stifled by the power of money, cronyism and partisanship.”
National Institute for Civil Discourse
From the website:
“The National Institute for Civil Discourse integrates research, practice and policy to support and engage:
Elected officials who are capable of working to solve the big issues facing our country.
A public that demands civil discourse as well as government that works in the best interests of the country as a whole.
A media that informs citizens in a fair and responsible way.”