50+ Messages / Page

  Brett Maney · [email protected]
July 29, 2021 at 11:00 PM

Final-Five and Red Dogs and Virginia, oh my!

At long last, a week without a sports metaphor     Hi Friend,   In Texas this week, Jake Elizey (R) defeated Susan Wright (R) in a runoff election to win the seat representing the 6th Congressional District.    Just under 39,000 citizens voted in …
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
July 22, 2021 at 7:01 PM

Basketball...or reform?

I mean, it's a serious quandary!     Hi Friend,   If you’re like me, you were probably watching the Milwaukee Bucks face off against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday for the series-deciding Game Six of the NBA finals.    Unlike me, however, your mind w…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
July 15, 2021 at 8:01 PM

All-Star elections

We may not know baseball, but we know election reform...     Hi Friend,   It was MLB All-Star Week here in Denver! As someone who doesn’t avidly follow baseball, I personally couldn’t tell you what All-Star week means or who won what, but I do kno…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
July 8, 2021 at 6:31 PM

Hot Policy Summer.

Our team came up with that one earlier this week     Hi Friend,   It feels like the start of a new season at Unite America. We’re fresh off of our long-awaited team gathering, legislative sessions are wrapped up, and millions of Americans have had…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
July 2, 2021 at 5:38 PM

Four Things Fourth of July Friday

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸     Hi Friend,   Welcome to a very special Four Things Fourth of July Friday!   We love two things here at Unite America: alliterations, and the great American experiment.    We derive purpose from our work to put voters first, improvi…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
June 24, 2021 at 7:01 PM

How do you build a movement?

What happened this week gives us a good indication     Hi Friend,   At Unite America, the question we ask most is: “How do we build the movement?”   Our movement is one of individuals who are fed up, lawmakers who actually want to put country over…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
June 17, 2021 at 7:00 PM

A republic, if you can keep it

CAN we keep it?     Hi Friend,   There’s a story about Benjamin Franklin I’m sure you’ve heard before.    In the final days of the Constitutional Convention, Franklin was asked whether the delegates had created a monarchy or a republic.    “A Repu…
  Tyler Fisher · [email protected]
June 16, 2021 at 12:00 PM

Do you have an opinion on the Electoral College?

This event might be for you Dear Friend,  Here at Unite America, we work to create a culture in which Americans who hold different opinions can come together to discuss issues that matter. We want people to be able to debate the facts and come tog…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
June 10, 2021 at 9:01 PM

Vermont wins BIG

Check out this week's Three Things Thursday     Hi Friend,   Election reform doesn’t have a party allegiance.    Here at Unite America, we support nonpartisan election reforms. They don’t benefit any single party, but they do benefit voters, ensur…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
June 3, 2021 at 6:00 PM

That was ironic

Put country over party     Hi Friend,   On Friday, just before many Americans headed out for the long weekend, the US Senate failed to pass legislation that would have created a commission to investigate the events of the January 6th insurrection.…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
May 27, 2021 at 6:01 PM

What you should know about gerrymandering

Even if you're not paying attention, gerrymandering is happening...     Hi Friend,   What would our political system look like if our elected officials tried to represent all of us, instead of just their base?   What would it look like if politici…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
May 20, 2021 at 1:00 PM

Why we support a January 6th Commission

Because it wasn't just a tourist group     Hi Friend,   In a committee meeting this week, Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA) said that to call the January 6th insurrection an insurrection was a “bald-faced lie.” The mob that breached the Capitol o…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
May 14, 2021 at 12:01 AM

The takeaway from Liz Cheney

politicians know one thing to be true, but act in a way that’s completely antithetical.     Hi Friend,   In a speech on the floor of Congress this week, Rep. Liz Cheney defended her actions to stand against former President Trump when she voted fo…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
May 6, 2021 at 10:01 PM

What you might have missed

Ranked choice voting is helping voters across the country     Hi Friend,   It’s hard to believe it’s already May. For us here at Unite America, it’s been busy and this year is flying by at such a breakneck speed with a lot of exciting progress.   …
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
April 29, 2021 at 10:00 PM

How 89 people shape our political system

Those 89 people exist they just weren't counted     Hi Friend,   In the grand scheme of things, 435 is not a huge number.    If we were talking about donuts consumed, trophies won, or dollars found on the sidewalk, 435 would be a lot. But when we’…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
April 22, 2021 at 10:00 PM

George Bush and Michelle Obama did what?

They shared a mint and the internet went wild.     Hi Friend,   One of my favorite and least favorite things about the internet is its ability to make a big deal out of nothing. A panda sneezing. A pizza rat. A large boulder the size of a small bo…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
April 15, 2021 at 5:48 PM

New Mexico gets it

If you want to know what they get, you have to open the email     Hi Friend,   This week, the New York Times profiled one of Representative Carolyn Maloney’s (D, NY-14) progressive primary challengers. CNN, meanwhile, looked at different primary c…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
April 8, 2021 at 10:00 PM

What the primary problem looks like

It really is the primary problem of our politics today     Hi Friend,   Last week, we released the Primary Problem — a new report outlining a critical framework for understanding the forces driving the polarization and extreme partisanship in our …
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
April 1, 2021 at 7:48 PM

This is the Primary Problem with politics today

it's not what you think     Friend,   The 116th Congress had an approval rating that averaged about 20%. Yet in 2020, when these leaders were up for reelection, 95% of them got reelected.   How is that possible? If Americans don’t approve of the j…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
March 25, 2021 at 10:34 PM

Party over country??

Late three things coming at you     Friend,   I feel upset writing today’s newsletter. Last week, I wrote to you all about violence against the Asian American community after six individuals were killed in a violent attack. This week, 10 more peop…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
March 18, 2021 at 6:01 PM

What listening to all constituents means

Standing with the AAPI community Hi Friend,   Divisiveness, hatred, and xenophobia have consequences. So do the broken politics and disinformation that fuels them. For thousands of Asian Americans, those consequences have been acutely felt.   Over…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
March 11, 2021 at 10:00 PM

What happened before the Progressive Era

Plus, Serve Together and what's happening in Georgia Hi Friend,   In a well-functioning republic, the people elect representatives, who are supposed to represent their best interests. In theory, if we as a people agree on something, so too should …
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
February 25, 2021 at 8:01 PM

Why America doesn't have the third party it wants

Reform the system to improve the system Hi Friend,   In a recent poll, 62% of Americans said the two parties have done such a bad job of representing the American people that a third party was needed. Americans don’t feel like their representative…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
February 18, 2021 at 9:03 PM

An anti-democratic, elitist purity test

Be sure to check out the NPR link to learn more Hi Friend,   Amidst record-low temperatures across the Southern US, power grid failures are compounding problems, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without power when they need it most.    Te…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
February 11, 2021 at 2:59 PM

Join Nick Troiano for a film screening

Also, join us for a film screening Hi Friend,   It’s hard to believe that we’re in the middle of another impeachment trial. I’m not sure how much you’ve been paying attention to the proceedings, but the images, information, and testimony coming ou…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
February 5, 2021 at 12:00 AM

This is the opposite of what we should be doing

Plus - do you like The Office?? Hi Friend,   Did you know that this week, after years of fighting for fair maps, the commissioners for Colorado’s first ever independent redistricting commission were announced?   Or that last month, Republican gove…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
January 28, 2021 at 7:54 PM

Political reform scores its biggest win yet

The Last Frontier leads the way Hi Friend,   We’ve made it: the last week of January.    January has felt long — and a lot has already happened. Fortunately, a long January has given us lots of time to plan for the year ahead. We have new reports,…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
January 21, 2021 at 9:00 PM

WE'RE BACK

Did you miss me? Hi Friend,   Can you believe it? We’re back! After a quick break (... and a violent insurrection, an impeachment, AND an inauguration) we’re back with Three Things Thursday, our weekly breakdown of things that matters in the world…
  Nick Troiano · [email protected]
January 15, 2021 at 12:00 AM

Capitol Violence Underscores Need for Political Reforms

Read the full piece at Real Clear Politics Dear Friend,    Last week’s events have shaken our country to its core.   Unite America’s response calling for accountability and reform, which ran in RealClearPolitics today, is below.   Our work is more…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
December 19, 2020 at 12:00 AM

HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Four Things Friday

How we can ensure a better 2021 Hi Friend,   With all the chaos of the elections, I realized: I haven’t wished you all happy holidays!   Whether you celebrated the last night of Hannaukah last night, are looking forward to Christmas or Kwanzaa, o…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
December 10, 2020 at 8:00 PM

This underreported story is why I'm outraged this week

What do you think? Hi Friend,   All 50 states have now certified their elections, but the attacks haven’t stopped. Whether they’re Democrats or Republicans, election officials are facing increasingly violent threats against themselves, their jobs…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
December 4, 2020 at 2:00 AM

Is History Repeating Itself?

Watch the new video about why it is Hi Friend,   I hope you had a safe and pleasant holiday, despite the restrictions.   It’s a tough time for everyone, but we’re almost through. During the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, Americans faced similarly cha…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
November 19, 2020 at 9:00 PM

Alaska gives us a glimpse into the future

Go North, and look towards the Last Frontier Hi Friend,   Big news this week: Alaska’s Ballot Measure 2 PASSED!   Counting took a second, but nevertheless every vote has been counted. The Alaskan people have spoken.    With one of the most powerf…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
November 12, 2020 at 10:00 PM

Upside: Our election systems worked!

Downside: There's still a lot of work to do Hi Friend,   Living in a post-election world certainly is something, isn’t it?  This week, we’re seeing more and more that it’s not only the functional mechanisms of democracy that matter, but also that…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
November 5, 2020 at 11:00 PM

Country over party. Now, more than ever.

Stay patient, stay calm. Hi Friend,   Surprise, surprise: here we are on Thursday, and across the country, election officials are still counting ballots.  Who could have predicted this? Turns out, the local election officials, who every election,…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
October 29, 2020 at 7:00 PM

Friend, it's all up to you now

We need you to vote! Please vote yes on these things. Friends,   This email is a big deal. Far from a regular three things, today’s three things is special.  This is the last Three Things I’ll send to you before the election.  Come next Thursday,…
  [email protected] · [email protected]
October 22, 2020 at 7:59 PM

you have to check out this political ad

We ❤️ it. Hi Friend,   There are 12 days until the election. That’s less than two weeks. That’s not a lot of time.  Have you made a plan to vote? Go do that.  Then read this week’s three things:  A politi…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
October 15, 2020 at 11:00 PM

We have to talk about this

AND IF YOU HAVEN'T FILLED OUT THE CENSUS: YOU BETTER Hello Friend,   First things first — have you filled out the census? DO IT. Today is the last day to be counted; the last day to ensure that you, your family, your neighbors, and your community…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
October 8, 2020 at 8:00 PM

Andrew Yang and Bill Weld like this.

PLUS what Tom Daschle and Bill Frist like. Hi Friend,   It’s a tough time for Americans right now.  Across the country, coronavirus continues to dominate our lives, and the economic impacts are causing even more stress for families already at the…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
October 1, 2020 at 11:01 PM

The debate *was* the doom-loop

We have to protect the sanctity of our institutions Hi Friend,   Do you ever get the feeling that you’re on a merry-go-round that you can’t get off?  The ride keeps spinning faster and faster, you’re getting increasingly motion sick, as the unner…
  Nick Troiano · [email protected]
September 30, 2020 at 9:05 PM

We must break the doom loop (Video)

If things feel like they're getting worse, they are. Friend,    Our politics have departed from a place where we could disagree about policy, yet still see each other as fellow Americans who share a love for the same country. We have entered a ne…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
September 24, 2020 at 9:00 PM

Things are escalating

When you can't spare a moment for an American hero, things have gone too far Hi Friend,   My coworker Blake called me last week to make sure I’d heard the news: the notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died.  I was sad, to be sure. How could I not m…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
September 17, 2020 at 8:11 PM

There's one solution to bring together both parties

you should read three things Thursday Hi Friend,   It’s the start of general election season; ballots are being mailed out in some states, and early voting will soon be starting in others.  Let’s go through the checklist:  You’re registered to vo…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
September 4, 2020 at 11:01 PM

Are we facing an illegitimate election?

A bonus FOUR things FRIDAY! Hi Friend,   I could come up with a reason. I could come up with an excuse.  I have none.  So guess what? In place of Three Things Thursday, you get a bonus Thing for a Four Things Friday: …
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
August 27, 2020 at 6:22 PM

Stay safe

have you been watching the conventions? Hi Friend,   I’d like to begin Three Things this week with a question:  Have you been watching the conventions?  I personally don’t have the stomach for them. What started as an opportunity for party delega…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
August 20, 2020 at 9:00 PM

A blindspot for the left

See we call it out on both sides. I look forward to your angry emails. Hi Friend,   One hundred years ago, something amazing happened.  After years of protests, conferences, speeches, and activism, women gained the right to vote.  30 years after …
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
August 13, 2020 at 8:46 PM

how to maximize a multimillion dollar investment

political philanthropy ftw... happy birthday paige Hi Friend,   This tweet got me thinking.  For those of you who don’t know, that’s Joe Biden’s press secretary. In the 24 hours since they announced Kamala Harris as the vice president n…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
August 6, 2020 at 10:42 PM

In memory of Gary Knopp

To a man who embodied people over party Hi Friend,   Today’s Three Things is dedicated to Representative Gary Knopp of Kenai, Alaska.    Representative Knopp was one of the architects of the multi-partisan governing coalition that was established…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
July 30, 2020 at 7:14 PM

Is this the future of government?

We've got a long one today. Hi Friend,   Classrooms, board rooms, courtrooms, and even doctors offices all look a little bit different these days. Coronavirus, for its incredible destructive force, has been a boon for forcing institutions to reth…
  Brett Maney · [email protected]
July 23, 2020 at 7:58 PM

The great American duty

We honor revolutionaries and those who help us achieve the American promise Hi Friend,   It’s easy to think about our political system as stagnant. If it’s worked for the first 244 years, it will work for the next 244.  But it won’t. And it hasn’…