Welcome to the March 2022 edition of the Speak Up for Good Government newsletter.
To kick off this month’s newsletter I want to bring us back to the principles that guide this work:
Free and fair elections for all
Accurate and unbiased voter info
Commitment to problem solving
Respect for opposing views
Account for regional differences
Partnership with the public
No more conflicts of interest
Commitment to excellence
Using these eight principles as a backdrop, here are some key points shared by Dr. Steven Kull, Director of the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) at the University of Maryland, at last month’s webinar for the American Society for Quality’s (ASQ) Government Division.
1. There is strong bipartisan support for greater public influence on government decision-makers.
2. If Congress were more actively influenced by the people, they would be more likely to find common ground.
3. Public policy consultation can identify solutions with strong bipartisan support to difficult problems. Take, for example, Social Security reform. These bipartisan recommendations would address two-thirds of the financial shortfall in the Social Security trust fund and are strongly endorsed by voters, regardless of party affiliation and region of the country.
I am a strong advocate for the Program for Public Consultation's work, which aligns closely with several of Speak Up for Good Government's main principles:
In next month’s newsletter, I will provide additional details on work initiated by ASQ’s Government Division to develop a standard that objectively measures the quality and integrity of government electoral processes. In addition, I will touch on misinformation and the importance of fact-checking using the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the impact on energy supplies and energy pricing as a point of reference.
As we watch with horror the events in Ukraine, I want to remind everyone how fragile democracy can be and how important it is to protect our democracy here at home!
Have a great month.
Allan
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