Braver Angels logo

A Demand for Party Leadership

It's time for our political parties to take responsibility for polarization. Demand that Republican and Democratic National Convention delegates find the courage to fix our broken politics this summer!

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Share With Your Networks

See suggested post example!

We Demand That Our Parties Take Responsibility for Reducing Toxic Polarization

Sign the petition to send a message: our political leaders should take responsibility for fixing our tribal politics, and give us hope for trustworthy institutions, fearless election debates with common ground and respectful disagreement, and a renewal of mutual trust that Americans can solve American problems. Information submitted to this form is under the control of Braver Angels, 501(c)3 in accord with our privacy policy and the preferences you express in the form.

"*" indicates required fields

Step 1 of 2

Name*

See who else has signed! (coming soon)

Petition Summary

This summer, Republicans and Democrats will meet separately in Milwaukee and Chicago to draft platforms with competing visions for a fractured America.

We, the undersigned American voters, demand that leaders from all parties cooperate to speak with one voice in their platforms about a single overlooked issue – accepting joint responsibility for fixing our poisonous political culture.  

While partisanship and disagreement are normal in a democracy, we describe our current toxic culture as suicidal to our national union and form of government:

  • That 69 percent of Democrats and 69 percent of Republicans surveyed in 2022 agreed that our democracy is in danger of collapse. (see references)
  • That stereotyping other Americans as enemies attacks our trust in each other and in the nation’s vital institutions such as voting and our system of laws and justice
  • That our political parties, candidates, elected officials, responsible news media, and voters have collectively been derelict in the duty to confront this clear threat to our Republic as being a problem that we must solve as partners with united commitment
  • That we have effective solutions for establishing working relationships across political differences and instilling realistic mutual trust in public bodies and our communities. It is time that our political parties and leaders speak about those methods, practice them, and compete in elections over the best ways to heal our Union. (see references)


Our birthright as a nation is a fragile common destiny threatened by fear of each other and complicity in dividing Americans into enemy camps for political gain.

The undersigned voters therefore petition Republicans and Democrats as models for all political parties to work together this summer on a House United Plank in each party’s platform, committing to sustained cross-party cooperation toward solving our entrenched toxic political culture. We hereby come together across political differences to respectfully demand this action, and we commend the plank’s suggested items as a starting point for discussion.

Suggested Items for the Party-Negotiated, Shared House United Plank

  1. That political polarization is a destructive force that threatens our system of government and sense of union, interferes with successful completion of public business and undermines citizens’ trust in each other and in government,
  2. That the issue can be solved only by the political parties working together – that one party alone cannot depolarize our politics for the other,
  3. That the question of blame and argument over which party has polarized the nation more is for historians to determine, but is not relevant to charting a better path together,
  4. That there are courses of action available for adoption that would reduce polarization in our nation, states, and communities, and that these courses of action, whether originating in the needs of national government or local communities, can be adapted easily to reduce polarization in bigger or smaller settings,
  5. That although all sectors of American society have been slow to address polarization, our political leaders and activists bear special responsibility for setting expectations and providing models for citizens,
  6. That we find leaders and activists of good faith in both parties who can lead this effort and who would like to see pronounced change in our toxic political culture,
  7. That the nation would be strengthened by candidates discussing depolarization ideas in election campaigns, journalists questioning candidates about depolarization methods, and voters evaluating candidates in part on their ideas and views about depolarization,
  8. That at this dangerous moment it is important for elected officials to make depolarization an essential part of their public service, by showing their constituents (including those who didn’t vote for them) that all district residents are represented, by finding responsible ways to disagree better without attacking opponents as enemies or stereotyping them or their motivations and values, and by affirmatively doing bipartisan town halls and other community events that bring politically diverse constituents and officials together to demonstrate healthy deliberation,
  9. That the parties therefore pledge to American voters that they will work together to establish expectations and incentives in campaigns and government toward healthy debate and deliberation and lead their supporters to depolarize politics in public bodies and our communities, and in that way be this generation’s founders of a more perfect Union.

Social Media Post Example

Suggested share language: “Share if you believe that the politics of dividing us is destructive, and that leaders search for common ground and ways to work together rather than ways to disrespect, dismiss, stereotype, ridicule, and express contempt for other Americans who disagree with them.  Sign the petition to demand that leaders from all parties cooperate to speak with one voice in their platforms about a single overlooked issue – accepting joint responsibility for fixing our poisonous political culture.  https://braverangels.org/detox-party/

References

  • “That 69 percent…our democracy is in danger of collapse…” Quinnipiac University National Poll (8/31/22) Question 21 (“Do you think the nation’s democracy is in danger of collapse, or don’t you think so?”)(Among registered voters, the figures were even higher: 72% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans think there is danger of our democracy collapsing).

 

Braver Angels Support