The American Democracy Optimists

One Big Thing

 

New Yorkers bid farewell to WCBS 880 AM after its 57 years as a trusted news source. It’s a loss for journalism and a reminder that the strength of our communities and democracy relies on a trusted flow of information to our citizens.

“Our news desert is getting bigger and drier,” longtime host Wayne Cabot said before signing off for the last time. “Just like we should get a second medical opinion, we need to seek out more, and more varied news sources that we trust because getting your information without the bias and brainwashing, in one place, has given way to a fight to stay informed.”

In the George W. Bush Institute’s latest chapter of the Pluralism Challenge series, we discuss the important role of the media. While news organizations are responsible for diversifying newsrooms and avoiding group think, we all have a calling to become smarter news consumers.

 

Bush Institute Insights

• Chris Walsh, Director of Global Policy at the Bush Institute, and Bill McKenzie, Senior Editorial Advisor at the Bush Institute, urge that news organizations should mirror our communities – and give recommendations for how they can. In a related piece, Margot Habiby, Deputy Director of Communications at the Bush Institute, gives her take on the changing news landscape and why news consumers must become savvier.

• Five Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program alumni are coming together with a solution to improve the Louisiana’s economy, workforce, and population decline. Their organization – The Boot – is designed to “recruit, return, and retain military service members to Louisiana after their service concludes.” It’s a great story about servant leaders collaborating to strengthen their community.

• McKenzie uncovers several bright points in our democracy in a recent blog. He shares how organizations and individuals across the country are breaking down barriers and creating positive impact in their communities, serving as a model for us all.

• As a passionate pluralist, Walsh is challenging readers to think differently about the term “unity.” He argues that “our national ‘unity,’ or whatever you want to call it, depends upon maintaining this commitment that we can simultaneously belong to the United States as a whole – bound by values and principles – and be sovereign individuals who disagree sharply with fellow citizens.”

• Last month, we caught up with Presidential Leadership Scholar Amy Kroll, Founder and Executive Director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Women's Campaign School at the University of Texas at Austin. Kroll has a passion for supporting women in politics and is creating major impact – from school boards to statewide offices – through her initiative.

What We’re Reading

 

• Media companies have been grappling with the tension between censorship and security for years – and very recently. Policymakers and tech/media platforms should continue searching for a sweet spot that prioritizes safety and recognizes the platforms are a major source of news and information across the world.

• Wesleyan University President Michael S. Roth gave an interesting take in the New York Times on the political climate on college campuses this fall. He shares that the “last thing any university president should want is an apolitical campus.” And if done properly, disagreeing can lead to learning. The piece got us thinking about a recent Pluralism Challenge essay from the Bush Insitute on pluralism, free speech, and college campuses.

• Something fun: Americans celebrated Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on Sept. 17. This week serves as an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a U.S. citizen and our responsibilities as Americans. Test your knowledge of U.S. civics and history by taking this practice U.S. naturalization test.

• October 9, George W. Bush Presidential Center: Sharon McMahon: The Small and the Mighty Book Tour

 

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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.