Wednesday, July 31, 2013

New Poll on American Attitudes Toward Public Service

National Commission on Political Reform Releases New Poll on American Attitudes Toward Public... -- PHILADELPHIA, July 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --:

  • The Bipartisan Policy Center's (BPC) Commission on Political Reform and USA TODAY released a new national poll that shows Americans are interested in participating in public service, but are reluctant to run for and serve in public office.
    • "Americans support multiple ways to serve their communities, and they value it highly.  But they are increasingly skeptical of the value of some types of governmental service, given the hyper-partisanship that has coarsened the tenor of politics and prevented government from being able to achieve results.  We must change that environment to restore government's capacity to solve problems," said former U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe, a commission co-chair and BPC senior fellow.

    'via Blog this'


    Saturday, July 27, 2013

    50 Ways to Be a More Engaged, Active Citizen This Year

    Building Blocks of Citizenship: 50 Ways to Be a More Engaged, Active Citizen This Year | Citizenship on GOOD:

    • While we routinely spend our entire lives becoming good family members and our adulthood becoming good parents, when it comes to being good citizens, we’re stuck in a prolonged infancy.
      • That’s why we’ll be sharing essays, reports, and provocations over the next 50 weeks to reinforce 50 key building blocks to citizenship. Play around with them, experiment, stack them up, DO them—hopefully, by the end, we'll have learned to walk.

      'via Blog this'


      Why we need better public participation: Complex issues and how structure makes us think better

      Why we need better public participation: Complex issues and how structure makes us think better. | EngagingCities:

      • Our conventional way of doing public participation in this country tends to fall at one end of the freedom/constraint spectrum or the other.  We either present people with a pre-determined, pre-endorsed plan (or a couple to make it look more like a choice), or we just  throw open the microphone and say "what do you think?"  I don't know why we're surprised when we get protest, or most likely apathy, in the first case, and crazy or irrelevant feedback in the second. 
        • We have to find the right balance of openness and structure, of inviting feedback and keeping people on track, of getting people as deeply and constructively involved as they can be instead of settling for a lousy experience on both sides of the table.  If the only people who are benefiting from public involvement are the list-checker-offers and those who came to hear their own voice resound, then we are wasting our limited time and our more limited money.  Period. 

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        Thursday, July 25, 2013

        Politics as Usual? New Kind of Talk Needed

        Politics as Usual? New Kind of Talk Needed | Voice of San Diego:

        • The process of deliberation requires a safe place for citizens to come together, with fair information to help structure the conversation, and skilled facilitators to guide the discussion. But this is rare in our polarized political culture. We need to develop “passionately impartial” resources, based on democracy and the values it entails such as freedom, equality, inclusion, transparency, trust and mutual respect.    The skilled facilitators must strive toward impartiality on the topics under discussion, lest participants dismiss the process as biased and partisan. Developing that capacity in our community is where we can begin.

        'via Blog this'


        Wednesday, July 24, 2013

        Civic Engagement Alive And Well With Older Adults

        Donna M. Butts: Civic Engagement Alive And Well With Older Adults:

        • In a recent study of civic engagement among midlife and older adults, AARP found that the spirit of volunteering is alive and well among our older generations. Since the turn of the century, volunteer engagement has jumped 14 percent with 76 percent of those 45 and older saying they have volunteered in some capacity over the last 12 months. Although volunteerism dipped during the economic downturn in 2007-2008, it has since rebounded to pre-recession levels.
          • When so many adult volunteers choose to give their time to programs serving children and youth, it says tremendous things about our future. Not only are we taking the time to share our wisdom and expertise with future generations, but we're also instilling the importance of giving back and sharing -- two core American values on which many fear we're losing ground.

          'via Blog this'


          Tuesday, July 23, 2013

          President Obama Expands National Service Opportunities for Americans

          President Obama Expands National Service Opportunities for Americans | Corporation for National and Community Service:

          • Today at the White House, President Obama honored President George H.W. Bush’s lifetime of public service and announced new steps to expand opportunities for Americans to solve problems and strengthen communities through national service programs like AmeriCorps.
            • Building on a longstanding tradition of bipartisan Presidential support for service and volunteerism, the President announced an interagency task force led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The task force will develop strategies to expand national service to meet national needs through partnerships with other Federal agencies and the private sector.
              • Among other activities, the task force will make recommendations on polices to expand national service opportunities, recommend ways to coordinate volunteering and service programs across the Federal government, develop opportunities for interagency agreements between CNCS and other federal agencies, and identify public-private partnerships to expand national service.

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              Monday, July 22, 2013

              Outline.com takes policy discussions online

              Digital democracy: Outline.com takes policy discussions online - Knight Foundation:

              • ... given recent advances in web applications, nearly all the steps of static policy analysis can be abstracted away so that assessments can be generated instantaneously based on a set of inputs. This in turn can be translated into easy-to-understand visualizations that can be starting points for our political conversations.
                • Shifting these conversations online leads to a more efficient and participatory process. And it makes it easier for our electorate to voice coherent – and informed – directives to their government representatives.
                See a video presentation of Outline.com at the above link.

                'via Blog this'


                Sunday, July 21, 2013

                June 5-6, 2014 Personal Democracy Forum 2014

                Personal Democracy Forum 2014 | Personal Democracy Forum:

                • Personal Democracy Forum begins its second decade at the hub of politics and technology. June 5th and 6th, 2014, people will gather in NYC from dozens of professional, political, and cultural stratifications, from down the block, and across the world. 

                'via Blog this'


                How Net Parties Are Changing the Rules of Politics

                How Net Parties Are Changing the Rules of Politics | Occupy.com:

                • “The party is a platform, not an ideological stance.” “The party is a tool used to convert the 'one for many' structure, into a 'many for many' conversation.” “The party should be both a movement and a platform.” “The party aims to develop a method, not an ideology.”
                  • These aren’t mere political slogans. These are statements which define, respectively, the essence of the Wikipartido (Mexico), Partido de la Red (Argentina), Rede Sustentabilidade (Brazil) and Partido X (Spain). All four first appeared in recent months. And together they seem to pose a question to representative democracy: If the Net is changing every aspect of society, how is it that democracy remains based on 19th Century form and technology?
                    • ... technology isn’t just a set of tools for spreading ideas. Technology is the new process that changes the way we work, make decisions, and communicate.

                    'via Blog this'


                    Friday, July 19, 2013

                    Politics II

                    although you can say,
                    "you can do it,"
                    there is a difference
                    "I'm the citizen" bit

                    although you can say,
                    "this is for you,"
                    there is a preference
                    "this is from you, too"

                    although you can say,
                    "I am serious about this,"
                    there is a deference
                    "I will diss this"

                    although you can say,
                    "God bless America,"
                    there is an allegiance
                    "that's from me, ha!"


                    Thursday, July 18, 2013

                    What Is Early Voting?

                    What Is Early Voting? | Demos:

                    • Early voting provides a means for eligible voters to cast their ballots at a time and location other than in person on Election Day.
                      • EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING   Voters can cast a ballot by appearing in person at a local elections office or other designated location during a designated period prior to Election Day.
                        • ABSENTEE VOTING  voters submit their ballots via mail or by dropping them off at designated locations. Voters simply apply for and receive an absentee ballot in the days or weeks before Election Day. Ideally, absentee ballots are available to any eligible voter, without requiring a narrowly defined reason or “excuse” to obtain and vote an absentee ballot.

                        'via Blog this'


                        Beginning September 23, 2013: Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement Certificate Program

                        National Issues Forums: News:

                        • The Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy at Kansas State University is pleased to announce the award winning Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement Certificate Program (DDPE) beginning September 23rd.
                          • This distinctive program focuses on developing mastery in making wise choices for bringing dialogue, deliberation, and engagement into situations where they are most effective.

                          'via Blog this'


                          New book: We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: The Promise of Civic Renewal in America

                          Squaring the CIRCLE of Civic Engagement - Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service:

                          • “Developing political strategies for citizens is just as intellectually challenging as empirical research and moral argument, but such civic strategy is much less studied, taught, and integrated,” said Peter Levine, Tisch College director of research and director of CIRCLE.
                            • Levine lays out his vision for the importance of strategy in his book, We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: The Promise of Civic Renewal in America, forthcoming from the Oxford University Press. 
                              • For Levine, civic engagement is most valuable when deliberation (talking and learning about public matters) is connected to work and making things, particularly collaborative efforts that produce things of public value.  Talking and working together forges relationships that he calls “scarce but renewable sources of energy and power.”
                                • We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For assembles evidence that this kind of engagement, although waning in America, actually solves social problems. The book concludes with strategies for civic renewal.

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                                How Race Influences Citizen Contact With Officeholders

                                How Race Influences Citizen Contact With Officerholders | Demos:

                                • According to some surveys, whites are twice as likely as citizens of other races to communicate with elected representatives. 
                                  • The racial identities of elected officials matter to citizens, my field experiments suggest. When thousands of residents of multi-member state legislative districts were invited to communicate with their legislators, blacks were much more willing – in fact, twice as willing – to communicate with black representatives, while white constituents were twice as willing to communicate with white legislators. Constituents of both races were more reluctant to send messages to legislators not of their own racial background.

                                  'via Blog this'


                                  Wednesday, July 17, 2013

                                  September 8, 2013, 1pmET Virtual Event on Civic Engagement in the Digital Age

                                  Virtual Event on Civic Engagement in the Digital Age:

                                  • E-Democracy.org will be hosting an online event, September 18, 2013 at 1pm Eastern Time:
                                    • New Voices – Civic Engagement in Digital Age Meeting
                                      • New Voices and Civic Tech and Engagement Convenings – E-Democracy.org goes deep locally and convenes and connects nationally and globally for lesson sharing, knowledge exchange and more. Sparked in part by the timely and disturbing numbers in PewInternet.org’s Civic Engagement in the Digital Age report, we are leading national efforts to convene interested groups around inclusive civic tech and open government.

                                      'via Blog this'


                                      Collaboration and Innovation

                                      What the rest of the world can learn from Sweden about Collaboration and Innovation | Twyfords - Specialists in Collaboration:

                                      • Sweden is on top of the list, with its agency Vinnova, working with industry to move up the value chain and ‘embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration in new ways.’ Not settling with what they have achieved so far they have recognised the need to become increasingly innovative, through collaboration, to address global challenges such as climate change, ageing of the population, pollution and resource depletion.
                                        • Vinnova has found that solutions to complex societal challenges are rarely found in one traditional sector or a single research field. Diversity is the key factor that drives innovation, provided that the players are prepared to work collaboratively. ‘New collaboration patterns are emerging between actors in different value chains’ with remarkable results. 

                                        'via Blog this'


                                        Community Engagement ToolKit

                                        SPARC BC's Community Engagement ToolKit:

                                        • The Social Planning and Research Council of B.C. (SPARC BC) is an independent, non-partisan, registered charity working with BC communities  in building a just and healthy society for all.  The organization operates on the understanding that communities are just and healthy when people have equitable access to places, knowledge, services, adequate incomes, and community decision-making processes.  To this end, SPARC BC works with people on income security, accessibility, and community development; and on the connections between them.
                                          • SPARC BC recently published a Community Engagement Toolkit to provide advice to municipalities in the design and implementation of a community engagement process.

                                          'via Blog this'


                                          America's Commitment to Volunteerism and Service

                                          America's Commitment to Volunteerism and Service | Points of Light:
                                          • President H. W. Bush was the first president in U.S. history to institute a daily presidential recognition program from the White House, conferring 1,020 Daily Point of Light Awards between 1990 and 1993. And President Bush helped launch a nonprofit – Points of Light – that has become the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service.
                                            • President Obama built on this commitment to service when he signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009, which will increase the size of AmeriCorps from 75,000 volunteers to 250,000 by 2017. In 2012, the President created the FEMA Corps program, which established a FEMA-dedicated unit of AmeriCorps members to work solely on disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts -- and he launched the Serve.gov platform to make it easier for Americans to find and post local volunteer opportunities. 
                                              • On Monday, the White House also announced plans to establish an interagency task force led by the Corporation for National and Community Service to develop strategies to expand national service to meet national needs through collaboration with other Federal agencies.
                                              'via Blog this'


                                              Friday, July 12, 2013

                                              The Next Generation of Community Radio

                                              This Year’s Best-Kept Secret: The Next Generation of Community Radio | Democracy Now!:

                                              • A microphone and a radio transmitter in the hands of a community organizer imparts power, which some liken to the life-changing impact when humans first tamed fire. That’s why the prospect of 1,000 new community radio stations in the United States, for which the Federal Communications Commission will accept applications this October, is so vital and urgent.

                                              'via Blog this'


                                              It is unclear if Dr. Gallup's favored govt. reforms will ever become reality on a nationwide basis, but Americans still largely view them as worthy ideas

                                              Americans in Favor of National Referenda on Key Issues:

                                              • A majority of Americans back three political reform ideas, including 68% who favor national referenda on key issues if enough voters sign a petition to request a popular vote on the issue. Roughly six in 10 favor a shortened presidential campaign lasting five weeks in the fall of an election year and a nationwide primary election to select each party's candidates for president.
                                                • Americans have long supported specific reforms to the political system that would increase the influence of average citizens and decrease the sway of elected representatives, political parties, and special interest groups. These reforms include national issue referenda, campaign finance reform, and basing the presidential election outcome on the popular vote. Perhaps it is not surprising Americans would favor steps that would make their voices more influential in determining government policy.
                                                  • However, nearly 40 years after Dr. Gallup proposed several reform ideas, few of these have become reality in the U.S. political system. Certainly, it is difficult to amend the constitution to change some of the basic ways the system operates, or even to pass legislation to change long-standing practices. Legal challenges have also thwarted or weakened legislative attempts to reform the system, such as campaign finance reform laws. In some cases, such as with the presidential primary system, the government and political parties have made reforms but stopped short of more radical change along the lines of the nationwide primary Dr. Gallup advocated. And although the federal government has not adopted referendum or term limits, many U.S. states have in recent decades.

                                                  'via Blog this'


                                                  Thursday, July 11, 2013

                                                  Boycott! A Call to Renew the Resistance that Works

                                                  Boycott! A Call to Renew the Resistance that Works | Occupy.com:

                                                  • I puzzle over the tepid response to the N.S.A.-corporate phone collusion scandal. Or lukewarm challenges to what the iconic John Lewis terms the Supreme Court’s “dagger in the heart of the Voting Rights Act”? How can entrenched Republican/corporate powers, so hypersensitive to shallow publicity stains (like Paula Deen), otherwise run roughshod, upping warfare against women or the misery of debt-laden college students, graduating into adulthood as indentured servants?
                                                    • A quick reminder, simple, how-to kit for driving a boycott home plus big, successful modern boycotts:
                                                      • 1930: Gandhi’s March to the Sea defies the colonial British tax on commercial salt.
                                                        • 1955: Montgomery Bus Boycott: Rosa Parks’ arrest led to comprehensive boycott led by then-unknown Martin Luther King, Jr., ended 18 months later by Supreme Court’s agreement segregated buses are unconstitutional.
                                                          • 1960s: Grape Boycott: grassroots/community non-violent protest organized by the Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers highlighted plight of migrant workers, led to union contract and superior working conditions.
                                                            • 1980-90’s: Anti-Apartheid Boycotts: embargoed financial dealings with South Africa to defy racist “apartheid” policy.

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                                                            Wednesday, July 10, 2013

                                                            You don’t have to be a hero to be a helper

                                                            Idealist Blog » Blog Archive » You don’t have to be a hero to be a helper:

                                                            • Back in April, we posted about professor Adam Grant’s endless capacity for helping and his research on the positive effects of generosity. We also listed some ways to get ahead by giving from Grant’s new book “Give and Take.” One thing we haven’t talked about, though, is the underlying feeling that may keep many of us from boarding the give-and-gain train.

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                                                            August 21-25, 2013 Occupy (Inter)National Gathering 2013 Kalamazoo, Michigan

                                                            Occupy (Inter)National Gathering 2013: Kalamazoo, Aug 21-25 | OccupyWallSt.org:

                                                            • Attendance encouraged by all Occupiers and interested parties. Occupy Kalamazoo will be hosting the second round of Occupy National conferences, August 21-25, 2013, following the wildly successful Occupy National Gathering that took place in Philadelphia, PA, July 2012.
                                                              • We, the National Gathering Working Group 2013 (NGWG2013), propose a National Gathering of the Occupy Movement, and peoples’ movements worldwide, in Kalamazoo Michigan, to collectively assemble and embrace our different ideologies and perspectives; to find our common visions; to share our strategies and actions; and to leave this gathering with steps we can all take in both agreement and diversity; for ourselves, our communities, our nations, and for all of us all over the world.
                                                                • There will be a special focus on indigenous peoples, race, gender and class throughout the convergences.
                                                                  • Occupy National Gathering working group (NGWG2013) is a coalition of Occupy movements from cities around the world, uniting in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and with Occupy and peoples’ movements worldwide.

                                                                  'via Blog this'


                                                                  Volunteering: doing good is good for you

                                                                  Doing good is good for you « Blog Archive « Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship Blog:

                                                                  • ... volunteering is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. In our study with the Optum Institute, Doing Good is Good for You: 2013 Health and Volunteering Study, we found that people who volunteer feel better – physically, mentally and emotionally. And volunteers tell us that they are convinced their health is better because of the things they do when they volunteer. Doing good is good for you!
                                                                    • It’s true – volunteering makes us feel better. And while we’re feeling better, we’re also helping other people who benefit from our efforts feel better, too.  Everybody wins.

                                                                    'via Blog this'


                                                                    Tuesday, July 9, 2013

                                                                    Introducing Congress for iOS app

                                                                    Introducing Congress for iOS - Sunlight Foundation Blog:

                                                                    • Now it is easy to learn more about your member of Congress, contact them directly and see their activities right from your phone. Follow the latest legislation, floor activity and even get a breakdown of votes with just a swipe and tap. The new Congress app for iOS has many more features in development and complements the immensely popular version for Android.
                                                                      • Sunlight offers a number of apps for iOS and Android devices, such as the award-winning Sitegeist, the localized Open States and the innovative Ad Hawk.

                                                                      'via Blog this'


                                                                      Monday, July 8, 2013

                                                                      Political Fix: How Do We Get American Politics Back on Track?

                                                                      NCDD Resource Center » Political Fix: How Do We Get American Politics Back on Track? (NIF Issue Guide):

                                                                      • One of the National Issues Forums Institute’s issue guides, Political Fix: How Do We Get American Politics Back on Track? outlines this critical public issue and several choices or approaches to addressing the issue. National Issues Forums do not advocate a specific solution or point of view, but provide citizens the opportunity to consider a broad range of choices, weigh the pros and cons of those options, and meet with each other in a public dialogue to identify the concerns they hold in common.

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                                                                      2013 HOPE Week Begins-- Helping Others Persevere and Excel

                                                                      Serve.gov | National Service Blog: 2013 HOPE Week Begins:

                                                                      • HOPE Week honorees will all receive the President's Volunteer Service Award, which is given “in recognition and appreciation of commitment to strengthening the Nation and for making a difference through volunteer service.” These inspirational stories help spread the message that everyone has the ability to make their community a better place by taking the time to serve.

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                                                                      September 19-20, 2013 National Conference on Citizenship

                                                                      NCoC: 2013 National Conference on Citizenship:

                                                                      • The theme for this year's conference is “America's Charter: Past, Present, and Future.” This year, NCoC celebrates the 60th anniversary of our Congressional charter, which charged us to explore the meaning of and find ways to increase active citizenship in America. The event and this celebration will help participants understand the significance of where we've been as a country, the civic reawakening we are experiencing now, and how we carry this revitalized sense of purpose forward.

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                                                                      Introducing CrossCloud: A project to get your data out of silos

                                                                      Introducing CrossCloud: A project to get your data out of silos - Knight Foundation:

                                                                      • When Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, he imagined it being a better way for people around the world to share knowledge and work together to solve humanity's greatest problems. It’s often everything he hoped for, he says, but it sometimes falls short when websites and applications lock away data. Too often, people are stuck using a site because that's where their data is or that's where their friends or co-workers are. Such restrictions stifle innovation and cut off support for a new generation of vital tools for knowledge sharing.
                                                                        • Today we are happy to announce a Prototype Fund grant to the Crosscloud Project, an experimental effort led by Tim Berners-Lee and Sandro Hawke at W3C/MIT. Crosscloud aims to give individuals control of their own data. It consists of a set of protocols and tools that allows providers to give individuals control of their data, choose who can access it and move it to other systems as needed. Building on standard Semantic Web and Linked Data Technologies, it allows people to communicate across boundaries. 

                                                                        'via Blog this'


                                                                        Report: 2012 Charitable Giving Grew Almost 4%, Corporate Donations Grew 12%

                                                                        Giving USA Report: 2012 Charitable Giving Grew Almost 4%, Corporate Donations Grew 12% | Case Foundation:

                                                                        • Individual charitable giving in the United States grew almost 4 percent last year, while corporate donations rose at triple that rate, according to a report that shows donations by Americans to nonprofit groups mirroring the slow recovery of the larger economy.
                                                                          • Overall, U.S. donations to bolster the arts, health, religion and other activities totaled $316.2 billion in 2012, a 3.5 percent increase from the $305.5 billion donated in 2011, according to the report, "Giving USA." That was just a 1.5 percent increase when adjusted for inflation.

                                                                          'via Blog this'


                                                                          Sunday, July 7, 2013

                                                                          Cornel West lectures on Socrates, democracy and social responsibility

                                                                          The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Cornel West lectures on Socrates, democracy and social responsibility:

                                                                          • West stressed that independent thinkers must be willing to analyze their own assumptions and prejudices.

                                                                          'via Blog this'


                                                                          EPIC Renews Call for Suspension of NSA Domestic Surveillance Program

                                                                          EPIC - EPIC Renews Call for Suspension of NSA Domestic Surveillance Program:

                                                                          • Almost 2,000 members of the public have joined EPIC's petition to the National Security Agency, urging the suspension of the NSA domestic surveillance program pending public comment.

                                                                          'via Blog this'


                                                                          Civic data to inspire: the Girl emPower iPad app

                                                                          Civic data to inspire: the Girl emPower iPad app : GovTrack.us Blog:

                                                                          • Civic data, such as the information gathered by GovTrack, becomes more and more powerful as an engagement tool as we get smarter at presenting the data in effective ways. The recently released Girl emPower iPad app does just that — it takes a complicated problem and uses data about members of Congress using the GovTrack API.
                                                                            • Women are starkly underrepresented in political office and many leadership positions, and research suggests that this is partly because girls and young women lack role models in these fields. The Girl emPower iPad app offers a solution to this problem by connecting girls with the women who have already paved the way.

                                                                            'via Blog this'


                                                                            Saturday, July 6, 2013

                                                                            September 29- October 1, 2013 National Conference | Independent Sector

                                                                            2013 National Conference | Independent Sector:

                                                                            • LEADON : Innovation. Democracy. Impact. Advance your leadership and expand your network. Sept 29-Oct 1 in New York.
                                                                              • Join us in one of the world’s great cities for the largest gathering of leaders from foundations, nonprofits, and corporate giving programs in IS history.

                                                                              'via Blog this'


                                                                              Thursday, July 4, 2013

                                                                              July 6-7, 2013 Global March to Dignity – Transnational Solidarity Weekend

                                                                              InterOccupy | Global March to Dignity – Transnational Solidarity Weekend 6-7 July 2013 [EN. TR, PT, BG, FR, ES, IT]:

                                                                              • Turkey, Greece, Brazil, Bulgaria, Egypt…. once more the fire of the global revolution is sweeping out the entire planet. We are taking streets, squares, parks in millions and revolting against the police brutality, torture, environmental destruction, corruption, the looting of the commons by the 1%.

                                                                              'via Blog this'


                                                                              Report: Building a Culture of Participation: Citizen Engagement in Vancouver, BC

                                                                              NCDD Resource Center » Building a Culture of Participation: Citizen Engagement in Vancouver, BC:

                                                                              • Report describes workshop outcomes and participant ideas to empower citizens of Vancouver, British Columbia in official city decision-making.

                                                                              'via Blog this'


                                                                              August 1, 2013 New Voices, Civic Engagement in the Digital Age Report Discussion

                                                                              Post in Save the Date - Aug 1, 2 pm San Francisco - New Voices, Civic Engagement in the Digital Age Report Discussion: Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire: Democracies Online:

                                                                              • I encourage us commit ourselves to efforts that use civic technology and open government to raise new voices and build power for less represented groups in society. We can build on "open to all" access to information, transparency, accountability, etc. and add "used by (a more representative) all" to our efforts. By digging into the numbers and looking for engagement opportunities, I sincerely believe we can use civic tech to build far great civic participation.

                                                                              'via Blog this'


                                                                              Monday, July 1, 2013

                                                                              September 22-24, 2013 Social Good Summit

                                                                              Social Good Summit 2013 - Social Good Summit:

                                                                              On Sunday September 22, 2013, we are going to make history. On that day (or around that day if it works better for you) we are inviting people all over the world to create and join Meetups to connect with people to discuss the biggest challenges facing our world. We’re all answering the same big question: "How can new technology and new media create solutions for the biggest problems facing my community and create a better future by the year 2030?"

                                                                              'via Blog this'


                                                                              July 4, 2013 Restore the Fourth protests across the nation

                                                                              Home | Restore the Fourth:

                                                                              Find a Protest in Your Area.

                                                                              'via Blog this'


                                                                              How to protest against NSA surveillance on the Fourth of July

                                                                              People's Blog for the Constitution » How to protest against NSA surveillance on Fourth of July:

                                                                              This is a guide we put together about planning and executing successful protests.

                                                                              'via Blog this'


                                                                              July 9-10, 2013 A Summit of Leading Practices

                                                                              Events:

                                                                              Center for Priority Based Budgeting 2013 Conference Registration.  "A Summit of Leading Practices."  Arlington, VA (Washington, DC Area).  Hilton Crystal City Hotel.  July 9-10, 2013 Register Today!

                                                                              'via Blog this'