Category: politics
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What Gibbs Could Have Said: Humility and Openness
Here’s an interesting exchange yesterday between reporters (primarily Chip Reid of CBS) and White House press secretary Robert Gibbs: The reporters are complaining that in the upcoming White House “town hall” in Annandale, VA, the questions and audience seem too-tightly controlled. They’re frankly up in arms over it, and they do have a point: The…
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Mayor's Sustainability Summit A Great Example Of "Governing Different"
Kai Degner is mayor of Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Before becoming mayor, he was also active (and still is, as you will see) in the civic participation community. He was elected about a month ago on what he refers to as a “process-based platform,” which means his basic promise is to change how…
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More Political Independents Than Ever
The share of people who say they are “independent” — that is, they don’t affiliate with a political party — has climbed to its highest point in 70 years, according to a new survey by the Pew Center for People And The Press. Thirty-nine percent of respondents self-identified as independents, compared with 33 percent who…
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Hawaii Votes By Internet
Last week, Honolulu completed what appears to be the first Internet-only election. In the past, I have taken a very dim view of many election “reforms.” The fundamental idea — that we need to make it easier to vote because people are not taking the time to cast their ballots — seems flawed. People will…
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Concerns About Health Care Cut Through
Today I’m in Dayton to meet with some folks at the Kettering Foundation and the National Issues Forums Institute. One of the things we’ll be talking about is an online version of an issue guide about how we can pay for health care in America. Last weekend I led a candidate training program run by…
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Free Advice To Candidates
Last weekend I led a candidate training program run by the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. I’ve been doing this for a while now. At the end of it, I was reminded of a post I wrote for Rockville Central some time ago, which I have spruced up a bit and am…
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The New White House Office Of Public Engagement
President Obama made big news among the community engagement field when yesterday he announced the creation of the White House Office of Public Engagement. This is actually a re-tasking of the already-existing Office of Public Liaison, augmenting and building its role. The idea is to have a dedicated office at the highest level of government…
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Judged By Mischaracterized Intentions
One of the greatest pathologies of public life today is its pervasive gang mentality. We are constantly labeled by others — and at the same time do that very same labeling. By our actions, we divide ourselves up into tribes, Us and Them. It’s our hatred of Them that continually leaves us far, far short of…
Brad Rourke 