Equity & Justice
The Public Leadership Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy and leadership center organized to explore and raise public awareness about key public policy issues of equity and justice and to develop public leaders who will improve the economic and social conditions of all Americans.
IdeaLog
Avoid the passive voice
Posted on June 19, 2019
Richard Nixon and his press secretary were famously ridiculed for saying “mistakes were made.” And yet, the same phrase has been used by Democrats and Republicans ever since. To many people, the passive voice...
Read MoreDon’t repeat the opponents’ frame
Posted on June 3, 2019
In his book Don’t Think of an Elephant, Professor George Lakoff provides the most basic principle of framing: “Do not use their language. Their language picks out a frame—and it won’t be the frame...
Read MorePlease don’t reject messaging as “spin” or “manipulation”
Posted on May 22, 2019
As we go around the country giving messaging workshops, we’re nearly always asked whether our message framing is a gimmick. After all, conservatives make it seem like a cynical game. They refer to the...
Read MorePLI Bulletin
Internet Privacy, Crime Rate, Passive Voice and More
Posted on June 19, 2019
Internet Privacy Protection Act: Pushing back against a bad FCC ruling, several states have enacted laws to protect customers from Internet service providers, the most recent being Maine’s LD 946. The Internet Privacy Protection...
Read MoreAbortion Rights Victories, Limiting Standardized Tests, Message Framing and More
Posted on June 5, 2019
Too Young to Test Act: Given their age, skills and abilities, it is developmentally inappropriate to administer standardized tests to students in prekindergarten through grade two, unless it is necessary for diagnostic screening. In...
Read MoreMessaging Manipulation, Salary History, Community Schools and More
Posted on May 22, 2019
Salary History Anti-Discrimination Act: Both cities and states are banning employers from requesting a prospective employee’s salary history. The reason is that salary history unjustifiably perpetuates wage discrimination, most often against women and people...
Read MoreIn the News
Anti-abortion website features PLI
Posted on March 21, 2019
The anti-abortion “news” website LibertyNation published a column attacking legislation in Maine that would allow duly-qualified advanced practice clinicians (APCs) to perform certain abortions, as allowed in other states. The column continues as follows:...
Read MorePLI legislation in Handbook for a Post-Roe America
Posted on February 6, 2019
Handbook for a Post-Roe America by Robin Marty (2019, Seven Stories Press) Page 44 In 2016, the Public Leadership Institute released a number of proactive model reproductive rights and health bills for state use,...
Read MoreWill progressives prioritize election reform, asks Rewire
Posted on January 9, 2019
Congressional Democrats Came out Swinging on Voting Rights. Will State-Level Democrats Follow? It was no coincidence: Republicans, after dominating state legislative and gubernatorial races in the 2010 midterms, made sure to immediately pass a range...
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