My intention in writing Citizens Uniting was to provide a long-term perspective on the major challenges now besetting our democracy. Most of those challenging problems had developed slowly, over many years, and none of them will be resolved quickly. So I tried to write a book that would last a good long time.

This book seeks not only to lengthen our time horizons but also to remind us of how capable citizens and their communities actually are at self-government, and to inspire some well-grounded hope that we can bring those strengths to bear on the larger problems besetting our republic.

The democratic revitalization movement is going to be shaped by ongoing dialogue among all of us who see this work as a high priority. The Soap Box is one way we can practice a little democracy while we’re working together to restore it.  My hope is to relate the themes of Citizens Uniting to what is happening in real time, and to expand steadily the circle of people involved in this conversation. Please join us!