Bipartisan Policy Center Launches Democracy Project Led by Former Secretaries Dan Glickman and Dirk Kempthorne and AOL Co-Founder Steve Case

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To demonstrate its commitment to making Washington work, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) today launched The Democracy Project, a new initiative to bring bipartisan and diverse voices together to support efforts to improve the ability of government to grapple with the nation's challenges.  The Project, launched at the BPC's Political Summit at Tulane University in New Orleans, is guided by an advisory committee co-chaired by former Secretary of Agriculture and BPC Senior Fellow Dan Glickman, former Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and AOL co-founder Steve Case.  

Despite varied political persuasions and positions, the co-chairs all expressed similar concerns about the lack of civil discourse in the current political environment and a series of legislative rules and structures that inhibit shared progress.  "Last week, voters made their voices heard.  The nation faces many serious challenges, I am hopeful given the recent positive comments by the Republican leadership and the President that we have a moment now to forge a new level of discourse," said Secretary Kempthorne.  "I am honored to work on this effort with Dan and Steve, and believe that those in elected office need support and encouragement to move forward, even if that means working with a member of the opposite party, and find the best possible solutions."

The Democracy Project has assembled a distinguished advisory committee that includes some of the nation's top government, civic, business, military and academic leaders, including Raul Fernandez, Don Fierce, former Representative Connie Morella, Janet Murguia, former Senator Don Nickles, Norman Ornstein, General Peter Pace, Lynda Robb and David B. Smith.  

After extensive meetings with experts, thought leaders and practitioners from both political parties over the last year, The Democracy Project is initially focusing on two issue areas: strengthening civil discourse in government and congressional redistricting.  The Project will leverage the deep experience and reach of the advisory committee to both develop new ideas and highlight existing efforts that have the greatest opportunity to create short-term victories and long-term success. In particular, they will identify potential infrastructure changes that can be made to create a more efficient and effective government and champion winning ideas and opportunities that increase civility and knock down barriers to progress.

"It is vital to American businesses and American competitiveness that our government be able to grapple with the major issues we face, like the national debt, job creation, education reform or needed investments in research and development," said Case.  "We all have an interest in ensuring our government is functional, and this effort will lift up ideas and approaches that make it easier for politicians to work across the aisle, putting the good of the people and the country above all else."

"We are here to highlight and advocate for opportunities to make our democratic institutions more responsive to the American people's needs, and we hope that this moment of divided government will also be a time for institutional reform," said Secretary Glickman. "Unfortunately, civility in politics is no longer the norm, and we don't expect that to change overnight.  But there are concrete steps that can be taken, like a more predictable work schedule as the likely new Speaker of the House John Boehner recently suggested, that could provide policymakers with more time to get to know one another and to legislate."

For more information about The Democracy Project, please visit www.bipartisanpolicy.org.  

About the Bipartisan Policy Center:

In 2007, former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell formed the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to develop and promote solutions that can attract the public support and political momentum to achieve real progress. Currently, the BPC focuses on issues including health care, energy, national and homeland security, transportation, science and economic policy. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/.

SOURCE Bipartisan Policy Center