Introducing “Our Indivisible Destiny”

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America’s democracy needs an upgrade.

There is growing and undeniable dissatisfaction with our nation’s democratic system. Each year, confidence wanes about how effectively our elections translate the people’s will into governance. While some concerns arise predictably from political convenience, many others are legitimate, long-standing, and wholly nonpartisan. For example, complaints about the role of “big money” in our elections, insulated politicians’ behavior in office, and the range of choices in our election system itself arise from all corners the political spectrum.

Yet these concerns are not without solutions, and North Carolina’s lawmakers are not powerless to address them at a state level. A new report from Carolina Forward proposes a package of simple, targeted reforms to upgrade North Carolina’s democratic system.

Our Indivisible Destiny: The Case for Democracy and Reform for the Future

This paper begins with taking the well-founded concerns about our democracy seriously. It lays out three key areas for reform – and also attempts to make the case for why democracy matters:

  1. Campaign finance overhaul
  2. Installing more transparency within the state legislature
  3. Strengthen North Carolina’s basic election system to expand access and empower voters with a broader range of choices

 

 

The growing cynicism in our electoral system, and even in elections themselves, is powerfully corrosive to the fundamental project of democracy that is the United States – and North Carolina. As one of our nation’s famous “laboratories of democracy,” our state’s lawmakers have the power to make powerful reforms that will make our form of representative government more fair, transparent and responsive to the people who elect it. Our Indivisible Destiny lays out where they should start.

Read the full report here (PDF)