The Weekly Update Newsletter

So, What Has the Alliance Done?….And Let’s Have a #DemocracyChat

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on February 01, 2019

Featured Blog Post: R Street Institute - OK, so the House wants to reform itself? Here’s what it should really do.

Over its nearly 4 year existence, the Bridge Alliance has lead and/or supported a number of inspiring projects -- Bridge Action Grants; Member Summits; the Democracy Awards. In their annual State of the Alliance, Debilyn and David do a fantastic job of summarizing the Alliance’s greatest hits and laying out its vision for the future in just two pages. If you believe in the Alliance’s mission and want to know what to expect next, this is a can’t-miss, easy read.

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The New Year Brings Upgrades and New Leadership

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on January 24, 2019

Featured Blog Post: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Can the Politics of Urban Infrastructure Transcend NIMBYism and Polarization?

Websites are like milk. They play a big role in most of our lives, and they go bad very quickly. A website that was cutting edge a few years ago is bleh today. That’s why we constantly hear Bridge Alliance members talk about updating their websites. The latest to do so is The Center for Election Science, whose new website is highly interactive, navigable, and -- quite frankly -- fun. We encourage you to check it out to (1) learn the merits of Approval Voting and (2) see all the ways in which they’ve made their website “pop.” It’s impressive to say the least.

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Congress Ready To Modernize? And Deadline Approaching for #EngagedCities Awards

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on January 17, 2019

Featured Blog Post: Reforming Our Definition of Politics

As you know, it is getting harder and harder to achieve significant bipartisan support on any issue these days. That’s why we were delighted to learn that Issue One, among others, successfully shepherded the creation of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, which was adopted by a vote of 418-12 on January 4th. The Committee will be tasked with promoting a more modern and efficient Congress, which will presumably include addressing shortcomings identified by the Congressional Management Foundation in its report from 2016.

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It's Just About Time To Unrig The System

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on January 10, 2019

Featured Blog Post: Democracy Won Big in 2018

In 2018, Represent.Us had over 150 different thought leaders from across the nation -- representing all parts of the political spectrum -- present at the first ever Unrig Summit in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2019, they are hosting the summit in Nashville, Tennessee from March 29th through the 31st.

If you’re looking for a way to dive headfirst into the revitalization movement, you can’t do much better than by attending Unrig Nashville. Tickets are on sale, so order now.

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Happy Holidays! Enjoy Some Dog Pics

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on December 27, 2018

We hope you are enjoying your holiday season. We will see you in 2019!

In the meantime, here are some pictures of puppies. Let's strive to be as warm to one another as we are to our furry friends:

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You’ve Started a Movement -- Take a Look

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on December 20, 2018

Featured Blog - CMF - This Is Not Your Father's Congress

 

As 2018 draws to a close, we invite you to take a step back.

It is easy to get caught up in the details of day-to-day life -- or the current news cycle -- and to lose sight of the bigger picture. The bigger picture, though, is exciting. So exciting, in fact, that the Bridge Alliance decided to put it in writing. More specifically, the Bridge Alliance and its member organizations have put together a (partial) overview of the democracy revitalization field.

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The Work and Rewards of Civility

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on December 14, 2018

Featured Blog: Open Primaries - The Fight for Open Elections - New Mexico

It is incredibly easy to get angry when talking politics. In fact, we’re hardwired to be less understanding with members of the “other team.” So how do we overcome these strong, natural tendencies to get angry and/or dehumanize political “opponents”? With practice. That is why CEO Ken White of Junior State of America invited Brooke Deterline to teach membershow to cultivate compassion for others even when they don’t agree with them” as part of its Courageous Democracy program.

Meanwhile, the Village Square and NICD are showing just how rewarding that work can be. The Village Square’s Respect + Rebellion series features friendships that have blossomed despite political differences. A recent Ted Talk put a spotlight on one of these friendships -- a pair of mothers named Caitlin and Lauran who are political opposites, but absolutely love each other. And candidates who took NICD’s “Positive Campaign Workshop” over the summer won 9 out of 11 elections this past November.

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Educators Gain a Powerful Tool for Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders

Posted by Bridge Alliance Education Fund on December 07, 2018

Featured Blog: Inspire U.S. - Inspired Stories: Bridging the Divide

We are excited to announce that three members of the Bridge Alliance -- Living Room Conversations, AllSides, and the Mediators Foundation -- have joined forces to create AllSides for Schools. This joint project embodies the spirit of the Bridge Alliance, which encourages members to collaborate in order to reach heights that no single organization could achieve on its own.

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Support Healthy Self-governance on #GivingTuesday

Posted by Debilyn Molineaux on November 27, 2018

Have you heard? November 27 is #GivingTuesday.  

#GivingTuesday is a project of Bridge Alliance member 92Y. It kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. We invite you to support those working to protect and improve our democratic republic.

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