The American Democracy Optimists

One Big Thing

 

As Hurricane Milton barreled through Florida accompanied by false claims about its origin, mis- and disinformation continued to spread about Hurricane Helene. Local media and fact checkers have been working overtime to debunk rumors and ensure residents are informed. The importance of a reliable flow of information is underscored in emergencies, and we’re grateful for the reporting teams on the ground doing this work.

Bill McKenzie, Senior Editorial Advisor at the George W. Bush Institute, weighed in on the issue, writing that “local journalism will continue to play a key role as wild weather becomes more prominent in communities, whether that’s raging wildfires, devastating tornadoes, atmospheric rivers, or winter storms. Journalists live in those same towns. They know the people... On top of all that, they know how to verify the truthfulness of information.”

This article is a helpful resource for finding ways to support those impacted by the storms.

 

Bush Institute Insights

• The George W. Bush Presidential Museum just added a new artifact – a handwritten note by Abraham Lincoln critiquing the faulty logic of slavery – to its special exhibit. Chris Walsh, Director of Global Policy, analyzes Lincoln’s argument and warns about the slippery slope of tyranny, even today.

• Danielle Rugoff, a 2024 Presidential Leadership Scholar, shares her work using intentional language to reach across partisan divides. She’s developing a tool called Purple Lexicon, which is designed to flag words that may carry political weight for certain groups so that communicators can be more effective when sharing information with different audiences.

• Bill McKenzie outlines five distinct efforts to sow disinformation in the U.S. and around the world. If you’ve lost track of the different disinformation campaigns this year, Bill’s overview is a helpful distillation.

• Chris Walsh and Bill McKenzie co-authored an op-ed in DC Journal, urging news organizations to diversify their staff to mirror the communities they serve.

• In a recent article, Bush Institute Executive Director David J. Kramer considers the need to actively practice kindness and grace. These virtues, Kramer argues, are the bedrock of a civil, diverse, and pluralistic society.

What We’re Reading

 

• Time Magazine released a short documentary about the people who make elections possible. The documentary follows election officials as they train poll workers, prepare voting machines, and organize the intricate and precise election process.

• The Office of the Director of National Intelligence just released its latest Election Security Update. The report shines a light on how Russia, China, and Iran are currently meddling in national, state, and local races.

• Pete Geren and Rob Notari argue in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that in order to individually flourish and collectively participate in government, young citizens must achieve better literacy skills. Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Opportunity and Democracy at the Bush Institute, agrees on the important connection between literacy and our thriving democracy.

• As debates about political and free speech continue on college campuses, Jennifer Schuessler at the New York Times reports on heated contests over what “viewpoint diversity” means at universities. In addition to outlining the barriers to meaningful dialogue, Schuessler spotlights certain academics who continue to work toward civil discourse and intellectual freedom in higher education.

• In a good reminder that genuine civility endures in our nation, Georgia Governor Kemp thanked President Biden for the federal government’s quick response to Hurricane Helene.

• Something fun:
• Teachers in Virginia are working to educate their own young citizens via different means: a school-wide election on Paw Patrol, meant to instill a lesson in voting and civics.

• October 16, American Enterprise Institute: The Challenges to Republican Self-Governance in the 21st Century

• ICYMI:
  • Read five takeaways on how to disagree better from our Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint, featuring Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly earlier this year.

 

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To learn more about the Bush Institute's work on Strengthening Our Democracy, email Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Opportunity and Democracy, or Chris Walsh, Director of Global Policy.