Normal Conversations

What happened to the internet delivering a new age of transparency and engagement? Politics have always been partisan, but today’s challenges look insurmountable when media bias is pervasive. We should be able to cut through the clutter of political targetting and discuss diverse views on the web like friends and neighbors - not trolls playing digital dodge ball.

Voters don’t find policy engagement effective because it is often one-sided and disorganized. Politicians attend more fundraisers than townhall meetings. Our letters, emails, and phone calls are ignored. Our voices are deflected and rendered ineffective. We should have faith that public institutions are working on our behalf and trust that our time isn't wasted by a political process that cares about us only on Election Day.

Article comments lose their effectiveness in minutes. Facebook Likes, Twitter Tweets, and emojis aren’t impactful. Our concerns vanish into the ether.  If they were effective, why are we more polarized today than when these platforms were created and why is trust in public institutions cratering?

We need better tools to identify and explore issues that we care about, discuss diverse views, and engage with our elected officials. We aren’t served by journalist opinion reported as fact, Silicon Valley platforms curtailing diversity of thought and expression, and everyone putting profit over the public good.