Talk to people

One of the most frustrating aspects of American democracy at this moment is the detachment of elected representatives from the people they serve. Our enitre political discourse seems, at times, to operate on a reversal of the power structure: Instead of recognizing themselves as sworn servants of everyone they come in contact with, elected officials seem to want to establish themselves as a ruling elite—the precise opposite of our founding national purpose.

We are cajoled, by a relentless campaign of vitriol and self-interested divisive rhetoric, into believing that people who do not share our most recently stated policy view are intrinsically built to harbor differing views, and so they are not capable of rational conversation. The reality is: Most people can accept honest disagreement, if there is constructive dialogue.

One of the most insidious and destructive tendencies in our politics is the shift by elected officials away from people who ask nothing of them except honorable service. When lawmakers withdraw from the public, when they take refuge in partisan campaign operations and the notion that fundraising is integral to their ability to continue serving, when they find excuses for shutting down dialogue, they rob themselves of one of the most rewarding elements of the public service experience.

That many, or even most, of the people they meet believe they are capable of serving well and honorably, and are rooting for them, is a bigger reward than a big campaign check. It will do more to motivate them, to give them a sense of purpose, and to actually help them serve well and honorably, by knowing their constituents’ needs, hopes, and priorities, and then by getting beyond politics to focus on what people actually need.

Imagine this scenario:

• A group of 12 citizens organizes a town hall meeting.
• 3 are Republicans and 3 are Democrats, politically active and proud of their way of contributing to our democracy. (Ideally, none are high-ranking party operatives focused on the next campaign.)
• 3 are registered as independent or non-party affiliated.
• The remaining 3 are under the age of 18 and are known to the others to be open-minded and relatively non-partisan. (The younger organizers represent future generations as called for in the Preamble to the Constitution.)

They invite four elected officials to join the town hall meeting:

• the mayor and a town council member (of differing parties);
• a representative in the state legislature;
• their representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• If one or more of these is not able to join, they ask others of similar position or ask county-level officials.

There are four rules for the town hall:

1. All attendees are welcome to speak.
2. No one is allowed to use partisan language, accusatory or demeaning language, or litmus-test questions that aim to check red/blue ideological or partisan loyalties.
3. A constituent speaks, then an elected official responds, then the next constituent speaks, while referencing what has been said.
4. Speakers should be on the same level, so either people take turns standing or everyone is sitting in a circle and speaks from their spot.

The aim of the structure of the meeting is to reduce the opportunity for language that makes people check out, while increasing the actual dialogue taking place in the room. For this reason, it is important that there be a neutral moderator who can remind the elected officials they are NOT allowed to campaign in this meeting. .

People of all backgrounds and status in the United States want to know that the people representing them in government are honorable. Almost no one is so disloyal to democracy or so wealthy in such a questionable way that they would genuinely want to see if they can “buy” a politician. People serving would much rather know that they are protected from such degradation by a general, nonpartisan commitment to their having moral independence and a commitment to serving with honor.

Ask them outright. Most will welcome the question, likely with a smile, and relish the opportunity to communicate this secret wish that so often seems forgotten by the whole of society, and especially by those focused on politics.

In a non-partisan town hall setting—where people are in dialogue and learning about each other’s moral understanding, vulnerabilities and hopes, and visions for a better future—it would be much more instructive for everyone to learn that an elected official just is not able to cherish that noble core of their role than it would be to hear the latest talking points on policy. That fact will push most people to make an honest effort to show credentials as a committed public servant.

The town hall, with at least three layers of public office represented, is also an important environment for practical conversations about how to solve problems, without deferring to ideology. Potholes and water mains do not have partisan allegiances. Everyone needs roads that are maintained and a water system that is resilient and not in a state of collapse.

No one wants their kids to be aggressed by bullies in school, and everyone wants parks that are well cared for and create safe, enjoyable community environments. Whether local fire and ambulance services can reach everyone in time is a practical question, not a partisan one.

The goal of our proposed town hall is that honest dialogue leads to new understanding on all sides.

• Republicans and Democrats, both in office and among constituents, put aside rhetorical weapons and take off their armor, and hear more humanity than they are used to.
• Nonpartisans and young people get to share practical but ambitious visions for a better future.
• The community gets a new sense of pride in the way everyone thinks, collectively, about how to do things well.

We won’t predetermine here what those discussions might look like; they should be open, following the threads that are already there, recognizing local roots and needs and also dreaming big. The Ninth Amendment protects all human rights, including those not written down; the First Amendment protects freedom of assembly. Meetings like this are a universal right in a free society, but they will only happen if we organize them.