AMERICASPEAKS Engaging Citizens in Governance Libraries: Making a Difference in the Future of Our Democracy Florida Public Library Directors Meeting Theo

AMERICAAMERICASPEAKSSPEAKSEngaging Citizens in Governance

Libraries: Making a Difference in the Future of Our Democracy

Florida Public Library Directors Meeting

Theo BrownSenior AssociateAmericaSpeaks

AMERICAAMERICASPEAKSSPEAKS www.americaspeaks.orgwww.americaspeaks.org

Crisis of Democracy

• Political paralysis and hyper-partisanship

• Little or no progress on the big systemic issues

• High public distrust and disengagement

• 21st century problems can’t be solved by government alone; and often don’t align with government jurisdictions


Lack of Trust in Government

• Just 22 percent of Americans say they can trust the government in Washington almost always or most of the time. This is among the lowest measures in fifty years.

• Favorable ratings for both major parties, as well as Congress, have reached record lows.

• The proportion of Americans who say they are “angry with the federal government has doubled since 2000, from 10% to 20%.

Source: Pew Research Center


Promising Opportunities

• “Profound brokenness” of the system leads to willingness to try new approaches

• New powerful technologies and large-scale change methodologies

• Untapped common ground that crosses traditional divides

• All of these can lead to building public constituency


• Create a stronger public constituency and mandate for change

• Educate the electorate about the challenges facing government officials

• Involve the public in being part of the solution and taking action

• Gain unique insight and new options

So, Why Engage the Public?


An Organizer’s Credo

• To be an organizer, one must believe one thing and one thing only and it is this: “the people will, if given enough information, most of the time, make the right decision.”

– Saul Alinsky


Belief in American Democracy

• With all of our problems, we still have a system that works if we use it

• Churchill on democracy “worst system ever invented. . . . “

• Belief in the American system • Trust in the American people• History of progressive social change

– MLK and his belief in America– Constantly expanding involvement


Building Public Involvement


Building Public Involvement

• Mass communication efforts

• Active interface with the public

• Basic civic education

• Projects that give citizens a real voice

• Promotion of “active citizenship”


“There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration.“

~Andrew Carnegie


Deliberative Democracy Field


AmericaSpeaks’ Purpose

AmericaSpeaks’ mission is to reinvigorate American

democracy by engaging citizens in the public

decisions that most impact their lives


Finding Common Ground on Our Fiscal Future

Diverse Group of 3,500 Americans Across 57 Cities Weigh In on Nation’s Fiscal Challenges


19 Town Meeting Sites

Albuquerque Augusta Casper ChicagoColumbiaDallasDes MoinesDetroitGrand ForksJacksonLos Angeles CountyLouisvilleMissoulaOverland Park PhiladelphiaPortlandPortsmouthRichmondSilicon Valley

3,500 People Across 57 Cities


www.usabudgetdiscussion.org

Video: America Speaks: Our Budget, Our Economy


Principles for Effective Citizen Engagement

• Linked to Decision Makers• Demographic Diversity• Informed Participation• Facilitated Deliberation• Discover Shared Priorities• Clear Recommendations for Action• Sustaining Citizen Engagement


What infrastructure is needed for a healthy democracy?

•Legislative

•Human

•Organizational

•Physical

•Technological

•Media

•Educational


Governing body actively promotes public participation, funds it, and receives and acts on citizen input

A Legislative Mandate for Participation


• Skills: process facilitation, conflict resolution, deliberative democracy

• Network of facilitators needed in every community

The Human Infrastructure to Undergird it, and…


• Mediating organizations needed• Must have trust and confidence of the public

The Organizational Infrastructure to Undergird it


• Space in community where everyone feels safe

• No one party dominates the space

• Common or public square

Safe, Accessible Physical Spaces


• Commitment from nation or region to provide every person with broadband Internet access

• Commit as a society to imparting skills necessary to use the Web

The Necessary Technology


• Free flow of information is critical to the core of democracy

• Need to teach media literacy• Technology, especially broadband, is changing the

ways people access and process information

The Knight Commission Report on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy

www.knightcomm.org

A Trustworthy, Fact-based Media


• One must learn to be a good citizen

• Counteract damaging effects of political campaigning, ineffective media

Robust Civic Education


Libraries’ Natural Assets

• Accessible to the whole community• Respected source of factual information• Trusted as a neutral convener• Ability to attract partners and create alliances• Talented, committed staff• RENEWED commitment to building community and

playing a leading role in community life


Rethinking Libraries

• Innovative and exciting ideas about libraries of the future

• David Lankes and others--”new librarianship”• Knowledge is created through conversation and

therefore libraries are in the conversation business• Libraries enrich, capture, store and disseminate the

conversations of a community


Challenges to Libraries Playing a Strong Role in this Arena


To meet the challenges of the 21st century, we have to learn new ways of meaningfully linking public will and political will to take action on

the major problems we face.


“A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

~Andrew Carnegie


“..and although the practical problem of revitalizing citizenship is enormous, it is challenging rather than insuperable.”

~Wilson Carey McWilliamsRedeeming Democracy in

America


Thank You!

www.americaspeaks.org

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AMERICASPEAKS Engaging Citizens in Governance Libraries: Making a Difference in the Future of Our Democracy Florida Public Library Directors Meeting Theo