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Braver Politics

Empowering ordinary citizens to take extraordinary local action against political polarization

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Braver Politics?
Why are there two tracks?
What is the Citizen Action Program?
What will I do in the Citizen Action Program?

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Empower Citizens
Work with Public Officials
Build Trust

What is Braver Politics?

Braver Politics is designed to create an environment in which Citizen Volunteers and Braver Angels grassroots organizers work together to provide evidence-based, citizen-led opportunities for (Click) officials and their staff across the country–at the local, state, and federal levels–to gain the skills and make commitments to communicate constructively, find common ground, and disagree respectfully across the partisan divide.

We empower citizens to take personal, local action against political polarization,

Work with legislators, candidates, and their staff members.

Build trust: among elected officials and candidates and between elected officials and voters. �
(Click) The end goal is an America where citizens trust elected officials, voters in both parties trust elections, and (Click) our political institutions reflect the spirit of citizenship and common purpose.

The photo is of Rep. Dean Phillips, a Democrat from Minnesota, and Rep. Dusty Johnson, a South Dakota Republican, who are two of our most prominent supporters.

�NOTE to presenters: You can find more information about Braver Politics here. You may also want to watch this video where the representatives discuss their attitudes towards bipartisanship and depolarization.

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“Constituents are tired of the dysfunction in our politics, but so are our elected officials!

They can barely govern, they are asking for help, and it’s about time we rally people across the country to give it to them.”

--Monica Guzman �Director of Digital and Storytelling, Braver Angels

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“Braver Politics has the potential to transform the American political arena.”

--Jill Cook

Secretary of the Virginia GOP

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Elected Officials by the Numbers

How Many Elected Officials?

Federal: 537

State: 18,750

Local: 470,000

Total: ~500,000

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What is Braver Politics?

Braver Politics has two tracks…

The Citizen Action Program

Standard Offerings

Standard offerings for public officials, candidates, and their staff members accessed through local Braver Angels alliances.

These are offerings best organized by experienced Braver Politics members and organizers because they require a deeper understanding of the Braver Angels Method and more active facilitiation.

These offerings include events you may have heard of or experienced: Red/Blue Workshops, Managing Difficult Conversations w/ Constituents and Colleagues (the workshop), Constituent Conversations, and Braver Politics Town Halls (name still in deliberation).

The Citizen Action Program organizes and facilitates just two programs and an e-course, all of which have been developed to enable easier facilitation by volunteers with very little to no previous Braver Angels experience and no experience talking with elected officials or engaging in political activism.

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What is the Citizen Action Program?

The CAP Trains Ordinary Citizens

Organize and run events
Communicate with public officials
Advocate for the Braver Angels Method

Image from Vecteezy.com

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What will I do in the Citizen Action Program?

Learn more about the Braver Angels Way

Citizen Volunteers Training
Learn from a Braver Politics Guide
Experience workshop exercises

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What will I do in the Citizen Action Program?

Communicate with Public Officials

Help from experienced Braver Politics Guides
Connect with local elected officials, candidates, & staff

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What will I do in the Citizen Action Program?

Promote

E-Course

Managing Difficult Conversations �with Constituents and Colleagues

Promotional Tools:

Email Templates
Talking points for in-person encounters

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What will I do in the Citizen Action Program?

Events

Learn what makes a Braver Politics event different from anything else you’ve seen.
Create and run:

- Candidate Debates

- Neighbor Conversations w/ Constituents.

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What will I do in the Citizen Action Program?

Change Politics Around the Country by Engaging Locally

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Start training as a Citizen Volunteer

Questions?