Research

Reclaiming Government for America’s Future offers compelling new communications recommendations for creating hopeful, constructive and engaged conversations about government . The Topos Partnership conducted this […]

Reclaiming Government for America’s Future offers compelling new communications recommendations for creating hopeful, constructive and engaged conversations about government . The Topos Partnership conducted this investigation on behalf of Indivisible, Public Works and partner organizations in OR, NC, NE, MI, AR and CO.

This research found that Americans are deeply cynical about government and have little sense of anything they can do to make a difference. Though they recognize that they live in a democracy, in their day-to-day lives they feel like “subjects, not citizens.” The research identified important steps that communicators can take to help shift conversations and begin to change the cultural common sense about government. Most importantly, communicators must help Americans remember that government is supposed to be not only FOR, but also BY, the people and convey a new idea that for democracy to work, we must each go beyond voting and practice Voting Plus One.

Learn more about these findings and recommendations in the resources that follow.