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Next Generation Advancing Civil Discourse in State Legislatures

By February 11, 2023No Comments

December and January were busy months for NICD’s Next Generation program. Delaware, Rhode Island, Idaho, and Michigan all welcomed discussions about civil discourse within state legislatures.

On Tuesday, January 24, facilitators from NICD’s Next Generation led the members of the Delaware House of Representatives in the “Building Trust Through Civil Discourse” workshop. During the workshop, members of the Delaware House shared unique experiences and stories that helped to shape their values and positions. Then, they discussed the state of civility in the Delaware legislature, challenges to that civility, and steps that they could take to ensure that members engage in respectful and thoughtful debate that results in effective policy.

Ground rules for civil discourse.

The eight trained Next Generation facilitators were current and former legislators from Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Tennessee. The mission of the workshop is to provide legislators with an opportunity to explore the benefits of improving the level of civil discourse in their state’s legislature and more effectively work across the aisle. According to Dr. Thomas Little, Next Generation’s Legislative Liaison, “NICD Next Generation facilitators are dedicated to helping America’s state legislators engage across ideological and partisan lines to overcome the polarization that threatens to cripple our nation.”

The Delaware House of Representatives listens to NICD Executive Director Keith Allred.

Earlier in the month, Dr. Thom Little, Legislative Liaison for NICD’s Next Generation, presented “The Founding Fathers: Why Engaging Differences Constructively is Crucial” to members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives at the invitation of Speaker Joseph Shekarchi. Dr. Little discussed the critical importance that the founders placed on working together and how the system of checks and balances they established in the constitution was designed to encourage leaders with different ideas and philosophies to work together. He noted that engaging differences respectively and constructively is just as important today as it was two hundred years ago and is the only way to produce public policy that serves the needs of all people.

According to Shekarchi, “Particularly in these politically partisan times, it is helpful to reflect upon the past and the lessons our founders imparted upon us. While I like to think that we in Rhode Island conduct the people’s business with a great deal more respect than is seen in some areas, it nonetheless is timely to be reminded of the importance of civility and decorum.”

In addition to Delaware and Rhode Island, NICD presented to representatives in both Idaho and Michigan about the role of engaging differences constructively, drawing on the wisdom of the founding fathers.

To learn more about Next Generation and how it can help your state build a culture of civil discourse, visit https://nxtgenusa.org/.