Government By and For the People is a workshop designed to engage people of all ages in critical conversations about what the role of government is and what it can be. Participants form small groups and come to a consensus about what values an ideal democratic government would embody. Following a values discussion, there is a short presentation concerning some of the obstacles to an ideal government young people have identified. Finally, participants return to the same small groups, and discuss how the proposed obstacles hinder the realization of the ideals they previously identified. The goal of the program is to discuss democratic ideals and solutions while engaging in the democratic process.
Government By and For the People is based on the third installment in the Roosevelt Institute's Blueprint series, called Government By and For Millennial America. The other two parts of the series are the Blueprint for the Millennial America and the Budget for the Millennial America. The aim of Government by and for Millennial America is to empower young people to identify and act on threats to a strong democracy, from voter suppression efforts to money in politics. By aggregating thousands of young people's ideas for how to reinvest in government as a force for long-term social change, it will provide a guiding vision for what a progressive government can look like based on concrete, student–generated solutions.
This workshop is free and open to the public; no reservation is required. Presented in conjunction with We the People, on view through April 7, 2013.