About the Responsive Government for a New Economy theme
Some have said that the biggest hindrance to transitioning to a fair and sustainable new economy is the impasse in our political system, the bickering, the corruption, the cost of campaigns. Panelists in the Responsive Government theme will discuss the forms of governance, participation, and action—at local, national, and global levels—necessary to support the transition to a new economy. Speakers will move from an initial focus on reforming our current government institutions to discussion about deliberative democracy and alternative models of participation and decision-making.
Workshops
For information about the workshops, please consult our workshop page which will be updated as information becomes available.
Online Resources
Watch videos, read articles, explore blogs and websites.
- Video: “The Story of Broke” — Annie Leonard
- Lecture: “Bringing the Power Back Home: Recreating Democracy on a Human Scale” — John McClaughry
- Video: “The Story of Citizens United v. FEC”
- Lecture: “It’s Healing Time on Earth” — David Brower
- Video: “GSA’s Mission: Sustainability, Open Government”
- Lecture: “America’s Renaissance: Energy, Environment, Security, and Global Leadership: An Energy Agenda for President Obama’s Second 100 Days” — Joseph Stanislaw
Related Books
Our staff has compiled book lists on each conference theme on WorldCat.org, a catalog of libraries around the world. Use WorldCat to locate a book at a library near you. Explore the Responsive Government for a New Economy book list.
Annotated Bibliography
The annotated bibliography contains more scholarly and technical materials related to this theme. Download a pdf of the Responsive Government annotated bibliography here.
In this Sequel to "The Story of Stuff," Annie Leonard Calls for a Shift in Federal Investment Toward a Greener and Cleaner Economy
John McClaughry's Lecture on "Bringing Power Back Home: Recreating Democracy on a Human Scale"
So you had a three-legged stool in the civic humanist ideal. An economic base widely shared, near-universal political participation, and a military obligation to protect the republic from its enemies. This tradition has been very deeply rooted in my little state of Vermont. My state, as some of you may know, was an independent republic for fourteen years before it agreed to merge with the United States of America, a decision which is not always appreciated in these times, especially when Washington thinks up more and more things for us to do. Most recently, for instance, Washington required us to offer a long list of special-education courses which Washington promised substantially to pay for. The Federal government ended up paying only four percent, leaving the state of Vermont, and all the other states for that matter, to pick up a very sizeable burden at the risk of very expensive law suits by those who are now entitled to receive the benefits no matter what. read more
An Animated Overview of Citizens United v SEC
David Brower's Lecture, "It's Healing Time on Earth"
We do not have a democracy in the United States. Any country where only half of the eligible voters are registered and where only half of those who are registered vote and where only half of those who vote like their choice is not a democracy. Any country that isn’t ruled by its government, that is ruled instead by the Fortune 500, isn’t a democracy. And any world government that is ruled by transnational corporations isn’t a democracy. read more
The General Services Administration's Push for Open Government and Increased Federal Focus on Sustainability
Joseph Stanislaw's Lecture, "America’s Renaissance: Energy, Environment, Security, and Global Leadership: An Energy Agenda for President Obama’s Second 100 Days"
Balancing is needed: In arguing for his energy plan, Obama has had a tendency to emphasize the environmental prerogative over the other two legs of the “green society” triptych—the creation of enduring, local jobs and the enhancement of national security. He could give equal measure to all three. There are many compelling reasons for doing this, but one above all: The army for the green revolution is not the energy companies, or the research community, or federal agencies, or even venture capitalists—it is the American people. If a new energy culture is to emerge, it needs to start at the grass roots—and in the American home. read more
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