Congressional gridlock? This group of lawmakers is finding common ground.

Plus, a Yale political theorist proposes a radical idea: put governance back in the hands of the people.

Plus the UK’s Secretary of State and RNA is in the spotlight July 29, 2021 |Presented in Partnership with Mount Sinai Health System POLICY VIDEO Can Congress Still Solve Problems? Putting country over party is the general principle of the House of Representatives Problem Solvers Caucus. "Most people are usually shocked when we tell them what it is," says Rep. Josh Gottheimer, one of 29 Democrats who join the same number of Republicans each week to find common ground and common-sense solutions to key issues facing the nation. From health care to criminal justice reform, how do these legislators manage to work across the aisle? Rep. Stephanie Murphy — another member of the Caucus — also serves on the select committee investigating the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which began hearings this week. Gottheimer, Murphy, and other lawmakers converse about what it takes to break down political barriers. Watch DEMOCRACY PODCAST Politics Minus the Politicians Imagine a new kind of democracy — one that puts governance back in the hands of the people. This is the idea behind political theorist Hélène Landemore's book Open Democracy. Contemporary representative democracies, like in the United States, are broken, she says, so why not reinvent popular rule? In a conversation with Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, she describes a new paradigm of democracy where a randomly selected assembly of citizens could define an agenda for the polity and make laws. There's much more to it. Learn more from Landemore, who's a professor of political science at Yale, in the podcast. HEALTH VIDEO Making Sense of the Pandemic Now As mask mandates return and Olympic stadiums remain empty of fans, health experts from Mount Sinai help make sense of this sobering moment in time. What does the most recent data tell us about vaccine efficacy against current and future variants, especially for the immunosuppressed? Do we need booster shots? What is the best way to keep children safe as they return to school in the fall? And why don’t antibody tests tell us an accurate tale? Watch Presented by Mount Sinai Aspen Security Forum August 3-4 Join the virtual 2021 Aspen Security Forum for a series of conversations that feature high-level government leaders and former officials. Hear about the future of the Quad, lessons from Afghanistan, China's rising global influence, cryptocurrencies, the Biden administration's trade agenda, and more. Speakers include the Prime Minister of Singapore, the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Minister of External Affairs of India, and more. Register The Sum of Us August 3 Why does the American economy so often fail the American people? Sum of Us author Heather McGhee explains why racism hurts everyone and what’s lost when we buy into the zero-sum paradigm — the idea that progress for some must come at the expense of others. Register for the virtual event. … And whether you're in Aspen or at your computer anywhere,Aspen Community Programs has you covered with a slate of exciting discussions in August. Some are in Aspen, others are virtual, and all will stream online. Check out the lineup. Unfinished September 23-24 Join us this September for Unfinished Live, a festival produced in partnership with Aspen Ideas, taking place at The Shed in NYC and online. We’re convening technologists, journalists, artists, changemakers, and more for two days of dynamic mainstage talks, Clubhouse conversations, live podcasts, networking, and interactive exhibits. We’ll explore a decentralized future where new technologies can enable a stronger democracy and a fairer economy. We’ll examine viable new solutions to the urgent problems posed by the current tech landscape. And we’ll celebrate the networks, movements, and people challenging the status quo. RSVP. ASPENIDEAS.ORG Personal data contained in our database is processed under the lawful basis of legitimate interest and is typically included in our database either because you previously subscribed to a newsletter to receive information about our activities/events or registered for a recent event. If, for any reason, you would rather not receive these messages, you can unsubscribe below. For more information, please refer to the Aspen Institute's privacy policy.

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