Dear lawmakers—We are creating new resources for advocates at the state and local levels. We’d appreciate your suggestions for improving our advice. PLEASE send any edits or additions to leadership@publicleadershipinstitute.org. Thanks! State and local...
Our nation just survived one of the most unusual, divisive presidential campaigns in our history. The election of Donald Trump is, without doubt, one of the most significant political events of our time. Yet,...
We are counting down the days to some of the most horrific political battles in American history. All of us need to do our part. At the federal level, we will see attacks from...
The issue of school vouchers has seemed dead—or at least asleep—for the past several years. But this vampire is waking up! U.S. Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos has been a major advocate for...
When I worked as a campaign consultant, I found that most people only learn by losing an election. After a victory, people think they’ve mastered the craft and have nothing new to learn. In...
Political candidates, consultants and the media generally misunderstand the politics of abortion rights. They tend to believe either that most voters oppose abortion or that the anti-abortion base is larger than the abortion rights...
If you are politically active, you know you’ll have some difficult debates over the next four weeks. Sometimes you will have to defend a controversial position. When that happens, remember three messaging rules: (1)...
We can’t all match Hillary’s performance. But we can be aware that a debate is somewhat different than a one-sided talk. Whether you’re an advocate debating an issue or a candidate running for state/local...
Here are just a few examples from the latest edition of the Progressive Agenda for States & Localities, including hyperlinks to model bills: Demilitarize the police More than 8,000 state and local police forces...
For the moment, most state legislatures are controlled by conservatives and there’s not a lot that progressives can enact in those states. But most large cities, towns and counties are controlled by moderates or...