Case Statement
Democracy in Crisis

Americans are passionate about representative democracy in concept. But they are less familiar and comfortable with democracy's reality-the institutions, practices and processes that make government work. For many, there is a wide chasm between the cherished ideals of the American Constitution and the processes it prescribes. Instead of debate, compromise and conflict, Americans often perceive bickering, self-interest, equivocation and partisanship. Polls show Americans' lack of trust in government and growing frustration with the public officials elected to represent their interests. Frustration with politics often translates into avoiding the ballot box, alienating many Americans from a system designed to thrive on their involvement.

Perhaps such a negative response should not come as a surprise; the virtues of representative democracy are not always self-evident. The processes, as they take place in Congress and in state legislatures across the country, are often messy, arcane and difficult-even for insiders-to fathom.

Skepticism is a normal, healthy characteristic of a democracy. But in the quarter-century since Watergate, the effects of attack and innuendo have escalated skepticism into cynicism and distrust. The media, as principal storyteller of the political process, have exploited and, in some cases, distorted the machinations of politics to build audiences and journalistic reputations. While the lessons of civics or the rewards of involvement are occasionally trumpeted in the print and electronic media, center stage is more likely given to the sordid and sensational-often for years at a time.

Politicians themselves cannot escape blame for the souring of public trust. The widespread use of the legislature as a target in political campaigns is a significant deterrent to building the public's confidence. All too often, politicians adopt the campaign strategy of running against the political system as well as the people in it. If both an incumbent and a challenger trash the system, why shouldn't voters?

Add to this the significant societal changes and the clashes of culture increasingly common in American society. While our expectations of what government can do have risen, notions about how it should meet those expectations have become more conflicting. Ethnicity, race, gender, sexual preference and attitudes toward the family, abortion, drugs, immigration, business and many other issues polarize opinions today far more than in the past - a situation that has been exacerbated by the easy entrance into our lives of the Information Age. Political institutions, designed to reflect the population at large, are caught in the crossfire of a divided society.

The result is an increasingly disenchanted and disengaged public. No particular incident, no specific charge, no single newspaper story or television portrayal stands out as having created this situation, but years of battering have had unfortunate consequences for the political system. The effects are most profoundly seen in younger generations. Not only has their support for politics been severely eroded, they are less likely than any previous generation to form the kinds of relationships with politicians and political institutions that are necessary for a democracy to thrive. Neither voting nor participating, they leave their generation little voice in the political process.

For our democracy to survive, bold new initiatives are urgently needed that can address the cynicism and frustration so many Americans feel about their government and re-engage America's youth. The National Conference of State Legislatures and lawmakers across the nation are joining together to meet this challenge through an ambitious, grassroots effort-the Trust for Representative Democracy.

Constructed on the ideals and fundamental principles set forth by the framers of the Constitution, the Trust for Representative Democracy is designed to increase young people's understanding of and support for America's democratic institutions and counter the recent heightened cynicism and distrust of the legislative process. As Americans are bombarded with news and information about the world around them, aggressive, proactive efforts are needed to promote a thorough understanding of our democratic system and its manifold benefits for the public. The Trust for Representative Democracy will inform, enlighten and reinvigorate all who aspire to promote the free exchange of ideas, confront and solve the critical issues of our time, and strengthen the foundation of American democracy.

By any measure, a commitment to re-energize our democracy and empower America's youth at the same time is one of the most important investments we can make at this time in our nation's history. The Trust for Representative Democracy has already begun to launch several programs-bringing legislators into the schools; revamping civics curricula for students, teachers and legislative interns; cosponsoring a national academic competition for middle school students; and establishing civic education awards to recognize the top achievements in teaching Americans about their government. But for these programs to have the necessary impact, their reach will need to be extended, sustained and timely in order to flourish amid the competitive marketplace of ideas.

The National Conference of State Legislatures is now seeking farsighted partners to work collectively to communicate the mission and programs of the Trust for Representative Democracy to the widest possible audience. With the support of visionary benefactors, we can build on a number of pilot programs that have, during their infancy, shown tremendous promise. With adequate funding, these efforts will extend beyond the planning and pilot stages and will soon begin to instill the values of representative democracy, clarify the democratic process and encourage Americans to play a responsible role in their government. An explanation of the programs follows.

America's Legislators Back to School Program brings civics to life - giving young people an opportunity to meet personally with their elected state lawmakers. By entering the classroom and listening to students' perspectives, legislators will be able to initiate a dialogue while letting American youth know that their ideas matter. America's Legislators Back to School Program is designed to teach young people - the nation's future voters and leaders - what it is like to serve as an elected official: the processes, the negotiations and, often, the compromises that are part and parcel of representative democracy.

The resources, lesson plans and presentation materials necessary to allow the NCSL to expand the program's scope and bring it into classrooms around the country can only come from a significant investment from the private sector.

American Democracy Television

The American Democracy Television network provides quality, timely and flexible video programs that public, education and government channels, public access stations, statewide networks and others can use to engage citizens with their representative government.

Project Citizen

Project Citizen takes an innovative approach to addressing the public policy issues and challenges that face our communities, generating actionable ideas to meet those challenges. Co-sponsored by NCSL and the Center for Civic Education, Project Citizen is a national academic competition for middle school students, designed to involve young people in solving community problems. By focusing on real-life problems and concerns, students will learn practical ways to participate actively and responsibly in state and local government.

Support for Project Citizen will aid outreach, ensure its ability to reach all middle schools, engage teachers and allow our youth to assume a meaningful role in the democratic process.

When people talk about politics, they don't talk about "the art of governing." They talk about heroes and villains, who-did-what-to-whom, and the unresponsiveness of our political leaders. They may support their own elected representatives, but they don't believe that most elected officials are trustworthy.

The Center for Ethics in Government was organized in 1999 and works in partnership with the Trust for Representative Democracy to address this most critical, fundamental and far-reaching problem facing government in America: the loss of public trust and confidence in representative democracy. The mission of the Center is to be a leader in restoring confidence in representative government by promoting responsible behavior in legislatures and educating the public on the importance of the legislative process.

The Center for Ethics in Government is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization located at the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Center was launched by the American Advocacy Project, a national coalition of public, private and nonprofit organizations that are committed to strengthening representative democracy.

A primary goal of the Ethics Center is to promote responsible behavior in legislatures by providing training in ethical decision-making to legislators, legislative staff, lobbyists, and state government affairs professional. In addition, the Center is a resource center for information about state ethics laws and rules that govern legislators and lobbyists.

The programs that collectively comprise the Trust for Representative Democracy arose out of a clear need for legislators, educators, students and citizens around the country to be able to engage in dialogue and work together to find solutions to issues that concern us all. They will go a long way toward realizing these important objectives. But to carry them forward on a national scale requires the efforts not only of legislators in all 50 states, but of schools, civic organizations and many thousands of dedicated citizens. Legislators, teachers and students have long understood the need for programs that bring citizens closer to the democratic process, and they are eager to embrace them. The key to meeting this need lies in careful planning, prudent management and the generosity of visionary benefactors.

The National Conference of State Legislatures and lawmakers across the nation invite you to join in launching these exciting civic education initiatives. While the goals of the Trust are ambitious, they are achievable and worth the effort. But they also require the generous support of benefactors who are committed to helping engage young people and building their understanding and support for America's democratic institutions. Such efforts will go far toward dispelling pervasive cynicism and regaining the public trust.

Companies and organizations that assist NCSL in bringing these plans to fruition will leave a lasting legacy for citizens across the nation-especially our young people-by giving them the knowledge, skills and tools to participate responsibly in civic life and ensuring a vital democratic process for generations to come.

Supporters of the Trust will help address the cynicism and frustration so many Americans feel about their government and to re-engage America's youth in the political process.

By becoming a sponsor of one or more of the Trust's programs, an organization will receive national exposure to legislatures, youth, civic and community leaders, the media, and the general public. In addition, sponsors will be recognized and acknowledged in print and electronic materials produced for the programs and in all press materials.

Please feel free to call and discuss the parameters of giving, or your collaboration in other ways, that would support the Trust for Representative Democracy.

Updated March, 2008

For more information contact:

Karl T. Kurtz, Director
Jan Goehring, Program Director
Trust for Representative Democracy
303-364-7700
trust@ncsl.org