16%
of Americans say they trust the government “most of the time.”
Yet Governors and state legislators hold relatively higher trust—an opening to cut through gridlock and solve problems with Citizens’ Assemblies.
Deliberative State Governance (DSG) is FIDE – North America’s answer: a learning and action initiative designed to bring the world’s most proven democratic innovations to the U.S., at the state level.
We are putting the public in public policy with Citizens’ Assemblies, a nonpartisan, public values-driven innovation proven to:
Reduce polarization & build community
Connecting across lines of difference and bringing in harder-to-reach residents reduces polarization, bridges divides, and strengthens belonging to build community.
Strengthen civic engagement.
Providing residents a meaningful voice in shaping their communities creates enthusiasm, strengthens civic muscle, and empowers democratic renewal.
Improve governance & policy reform.
Citizen input on statewide issues clarifies public priorities and builds buy-in for policy & decisions-making.
Citizens’ Assemblies increase legitimacy & mutual trust.
Having a sense of voice through fair, informed, representative deliberative platforms increases public trust by 47 points. According to the University of Maryland Demand for Public Consultation, 79% of Democrats and 64% of Republicans would switch party affiliation if the other candidate pledged to consult more with constituents. This clearly demonstrates people are hungry to have a voice; and will reward those who listen.
Contact Kara Revel Jarzynski or north.america@fidemocracy.org if you are interested in this program.