Democratic Participation Beyond Voting

Your Civic Toolkit

Stop donating. Start participating.

Political parties once educated citizens about governance and participation—that’s gone. Modern parties extract two things: money and votes. They don’t educate or persuade; they mobilize and fundraise. Meanwhile, dozens of participation opportunities—public comment periods, board appointments, budget hearings—go largely unused except by those with power.

Learn the full spectrum of democratic participation opportunities at local, state, and federal levels. Write effective public comments for regulatory agencies. Testify at public hearings with confidence and impact. Identify and apply for boards, commissions, and advisory committees where real decisions get made.

The Work of Democracy

Your Citizen Maintenance Manual

Democracy fails when citizens stop maintaining it.

Democracy is visibly failing—Congress dysfunction, institutional distrust, misinformation—while authoritarian alternatives actively appeal to exhausted citizens. “Strong leader” rhetoric gains traction. Nobody teaches that democratic maintenance is citizens’ job. You believe citizenship equals voting, then waiting for leaders to handle everything else.

Learn the maintenance manual—specific citizenship tasks beyond voting. Why authoritarian appeals work (order, efficiency, strength) and why they fail. How structural barriers (Citizens United, lobbying, media dysfunction) accumulated through citizen neglect. Attending local government, writing public comments, engaging across difference, holding representatives accountable.

Productive Conflict

Engaging Across Deep Disagreement

Beyond avoidance and combat.

The 2024 election intensified polarization. Families plan separate holidays. Friendships end over social media posts. When citizens can’t talk across difference, authoritarian simplicity becomes appealing. Democracy requires engaging with difference—not as optional ideal, but as structural necessity for pluralistic self-governance.

Learn why democracy uniquely requires engaging with difference. Deep canvassing research: what actually changes minds versus what backfires. Active listening without agreement. De-escalation strategies when conversations heat up. Setting conversation boundaries without burning bridges.

STAND Together for Voter Education

Reclaiming What Parties Abandoned

Because democracy works better when citizens teach each other.

For 50+ years, U.S. political parties transformed from educational institutions into fundraising and mobilization machines. Independent and unaffiliated voters—45%+ of the electorate—have NO institutional support for learning. Citizens feel overwhelmed, underinformed, and manipulated. Libraries and civic organizations seek frameworks but lack resources.

Learn how and why parties stopped educating voters after Citizens United. How modern political machinery—messaging, microtargeting, identity activation, algorithmic amplification—shapes voter understanding. Analyze political messaging for bias and manipulation. Facilitate non-partisan discussions. Create voter education materials: issue briefings, candidate guides, discussion frameworks.

The Constitution Alive

How America’s Operating System Actually Works (And Who Gets to Reboot It)

Recognize constitutional fights before you lose them

The Supreme Court is actively reshaping American governance—overturning Roe, restricting voting rights, dismantling the administrative state. After 40 years of organizing, originalism now commands the Court. You’re losing constitutional fights you don’t realize are constitutional fights.

Learn three interpretive frameworks that shape every constitutional battle: originalism, living constitutionalism, popular constitutionalism. How Marbury v. Madison created judicial supremacy (it’s not in the Constitution’s text). The role of social movements in changing constitutional meaning beyond formal amendments.

Sick Profits

Understanding America’s Healthcare System

Get evidence, not ideology.

Healthcare is a top voter concern, yet the debate is dominated by industry-funded misinformation and partisan talking points while citizens lack knowledge to evaluate proposals. US healthcare spending approaches 20% of GDP—twice what peer nations spend—yet we get worse outcomes on most metrics.

Learn how healthcare systems actually work: single-payer (Canada), national health service (UK), multi-payer universal (Germany), market-based (US). The American system’s “shareholder socialism”: government protections, $1.5T+ subsidies, guaranteed customers—while consumers get no price transparency. Comparative data: US spends ~$13,000 per capita; peer nations spend $5,000-$7,500 with better outcomes.