When the People Decide

Exploring the importance of government transparency in democracy, from historical secrecy in drafting the Constitution to present-day legislative debates on public records laws. The podcast highlights challenges in balancing transparency and efficiency, disparities in advocacy, and the need for systemic solutions to empower all citizens for a more transparent democracy.

This podcast explores the challenges of government involvement in local news and emphasizes the importance of public policy in supporting the industry. Topics include the decline of local news, opportunities at the state level, maintaining mental well-being as a reporter, and the future of local news with public policy support.

The final episode of the season takes a step back from individual democracy reforms to look at what it will take to create a healthy civic culture where power is shared across the community — rather than concentrated in the hands of a few stakeholders. Eric Liu believes this can happen and is working tirelessly to spread his idea of civic faith across the U.S.

Some 2,500 newspapers have closed in the U.S since 2005, leaving entire communities without a source for local news, as well as with limited means to keep their government officials accountable. What if there was a way to fill the news desert, with an entirely new approach to informing the public? Host Jenna Spinelle discusses the relevance of civic information with Mike Rispoli of Free Press, and then uncovers how that can be put into practice with Richard Young, founder of CivicLex, a non-profit that is bridging the gap between news and news consumers in Kentucky.Read the Roadmap for Local News report

When public officials embark on efforts to incorporate more civic input in city decisions, they are often hamstrung by inefficient means that favor the loudest voices in a room. But more people want a say in their local government; they just need the right opportunity. For Petaluma, California, it was something called the "democracy lottery." In this episode, we explore what that is and the power that comes from letting the community deliberate in a public way. Hear from Petaluma's city manager and one of the residents who was part of the fairgrounds panel.

Librarians have spoken for years about “library faith,” the belief that public libraries are central to democracy because they contribute to an informed citizenry. Today, the idea is gaining even more traction, and even conservative crackdowns on what’s permitted in libraries reinforce the idea that they’re more than just “book warehouses” but centers for community engagement and representativeness. This week, hear from two librarians working to enhance the role libraries of libraries democracy and civic engagement. Shamichael Hallman explains how he brought his experience in tech and faith leadership to bear when he ran a branch of the Memphis Public Libraries, including bringing Civic Saturdays to his community, a program of Citizen University. And public policy advocate Nancy Kranich of Rutgers University shares the high hopes she has that libraries remain crucial institutions that allow us to engage with our government–and each other.

The United Nations calls participatory budgeting a best practice for a democratic government and the New York Times calls it “revolutionary civics in action." Participatory budgeting, or PB for short, deepens democracy, builds stronger communities, and creates a more equitable distribution of public resources. Around 7,000 cities worldwide do it, including some communities in the U.S. It involves residents actively deciding where their city’s money will be spent —everything from new community centers to improvements to neighborhood parks.This week, we explore this empowering governance tool with expert Hollie Russon Gilman, senior fellow at New America's political reform program and affiliate fellow at Harvard's Ash Center for Democratic Innovation and Governance and Andrew Holland, who brought PB to Durham, North Carolina. Hollie, Andrew, and others working on participatory budgeting believe that it can increase civic power and  lead to a more inclusive, equitable democracy. 

When Linda Harris began working at city hall in her hometown of Decatur, Georgia, she noticed that the relationship between local government leaders and their constituents was often tense, or nonexistent. City workers were used to residents interacting with them when they had a complaint, for example. She came up with an idea: a straightforward class open to anyone in Decatur to learn about how their city government worked.  Thus began Decatur 101, now a long-standing institution that even the mayor participated in. In this episode, we talk with Linda and Decatur 101 participants about why understanding how your government works, empowers you to begin advocating for changes you want to see in your community.

In the second season of this podcast all about how people engage with U.S. democracy, Jenna Spinelle zeroes in on hyperlocal efforts to increase participation in local government. She talks to the activists, city leaders, and academics doing everything from democracy lotteries to civic courses at city hall and the library–all aiming to empower residents to have a real, tangible say in what goes on in their communities. From The McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State University, When the People Decide takes a close look at how we can really save democracy, starting with issues in our own backyards.New episodes start July 17! Follow the podcast at thepeopledecide.show or on social media at peopledecidepod.

In this bonus episode, we hear from Roger Asterino, a former Cincinnati city employee whose story was at the heart of the anti-LGBTQ ballot initiative in the 1990s. Roger shares the story of coming to terms with his sexuality in rural Ohio, the harassment he and others received from a coworker at the City of Cincinnati, how the Issue 3 ballot measure impacted his life and work, and his decision to leave Cincinnati for California in the years that followed the Issue 3 vote. We also discuss how Roger met Scott Knox, the Cincinnati attorney who represented him in the lawsuit against the city and was part of the campaign to overturn Issue 3 with another ballot initiative in 2004.If you missed the episode on Cincinnati's Issue 3 ballot initiative, check it out here. We're grateful to Roger for sharing his story with us and hope you find it as impactful as we did.