Last week, the Common Ground Committee’s podcast showcased a remarkable transformation: lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle discussed their shift from frosty online exchanges to constructive bipartisan cooperation through in-person meetings. In the experiences of Representatives Klicker and Ramel, they found that the nuances of eye contact and the richness of face-to-face interactions, absent in their online meetings, significantly enhanced their ability to connect, both as lawmakers and as friends. The story resonates deeply, especially when reflecting on the contrast between social media interactions and the dynamics of in-person dialogue.

As we navigate the aftermath of the challenging 2023 election season and look ahead to the 2024 cycle, this insight into interpersonal communication is particularly poignant. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many of us are preparing for gatherings that may bring together friends and family across ideological divides.

In anticipation of these conversations, Living Room Conversations offers invaluable guidance for navigating difficult topics with grace and understanding. Additionally, Reinhold Ernst of Veterans for all Voters has penned an insightful summary of strategies for engaging in meaningful discussions about democracy with loved ones. His suggestions aim to steer these conversations toward productive discourse, finding common ground, and forging paths forward together.

I hope that however you spend next week, your Thanksgiving is peaceful. We will not be sending a weekly update next week, so I look forward to re-connecting with the last update of November the following week.

Featured Content

AllSides (Blog) November 13th: When Abortion Rights Define the Political Landscape

Ballotpedia (Article) November 13th: Welcome to the 2024 election cycle

Election Reformers Network (Article) November 9th: ERN and Partners Help Pass Key Michigan Bill to Protect Presidential Elections

Interactivity Foundation (Article) November 9th: Just Imagine…The Negative Effects of Single-Issue Politics

Independent Voter Project (IVN) November 8th: 3 Michigan Cities Passed RCV in 2023, But When Will Voters Get to Use It?

Issue One (Press Release) November 14th: Issue One commends the leadership and legacy of Rep. Derek Kilmer to institute change in Congress

Issue Voter (Blog) November 13th: Notable Results from Election Day 2023

Living Room Conversations (Guide): Friends and Family Guide

National Civic League (Article) November 7th: Essay VII: Power to the People! (But What Will They Do With It?)

The Horizons Project (Newsletter): THE VISTA: October 2023

Podcasts

Civity (This is Civity) November 10th: International Relations Expert Seth Kaplan: Fragile Neighborhoods Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time

Common Ground Committee (Let’s Find Common Ground) November 9th: Finding Common Ground In Person - Not Over Zoom

The Democracy Group (Our Body Politic) November 15th: How Poll Workers, the Supreme Court, and Medical Biases Impact U.S. Democracy

The Fulcrum (Collage) November 6th: Community Powered Approaches: Spotlight on the North Flint Action Council

USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future (The Bully Pulpit) November 13th: Book Talk with Adam Nagourney

Citizen Connect Featured Events

Civic Synergy (November 16th @ 5:30 pm CST) Civic Synergy Presents: Empower Youth In Power

Interactivity Foundation (November 17th @ 2 pm ES) Who are We the People–Who Is Being Pushed Out?

American Promise (November 21st @ 7:30 pm EST) American Promise Writing & Media Action Team

Living Room Conversations (November 25th @ 12 pm MST) Relationships First Conversation

Bay College Civics Corps (November 27th @ 7 pm EST) Veterans Speak: An Intergenerational Event

Featured Fulcrum Articles

Juliann Ventura, November 16th: Negative ads overwhelm Virginia voters

Rick LaRue, November 14th: An unamended Constitution is a serious problem

Reinhold Ernst, November 13th: Tips for talking to loved ones about democracy

F. Willis Johnson, November 13th: Dialogue policing in Columbus, Ohio

Kevin Frazier, November 10th: AI and a marketplace of illusion and confusion