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Home :: Program Areas :: Local Democracy
Local Democracy
Underlying society, and superior to constitutions are equality, and certain unalienable rights, inherent in all people in virtue of their very humanity, and it is only when this democracy is a living idea in the community that it can become a living fact in the state.
~ Racine Advocate, 1854
Liberty Tree's Local Democracy Program works with elected officials, political parties, and community organizations in the United States to democratize local governments and to unite them as agents of democratic change. This program prioritizes the growth of strong participatory cultures in local government, implementation of democratizing policy reforms at the local level, and the emergence of an alliance of democratic local governments as a force in national politics.
Please contact us if you have questions about the Local Democracy Program. InitiativesEvents- Learning Democracy by Doing (October 16, 2008 - October 18, 2008)
An international conference organized by the Transformative Learning Centre (TLC) addressing issues of participatory democracy and citizenship learning. - Community Organizing for Deep Democracy Retreat (August 8, 2008 - August 10, 2008)
This retreat will offer tangible strategies for participants to effectively organize in their own communities to reclaim the constitutional promise of a sovereign citizenry. - People's State of the City Summit and March on the Mayors Day of Action (June 19, 2008 - June 24, 2008)
March on the Mayors!
40th convening of the United States Conference of Mayors
June 19th-24th, Miami, FL
People's State of the City Summit
Discuss a people's platform for the U.S. urban agenda in 2008
June 19th (location to be announced)
March on the Mayors: Day of Action
Join us in bringing the people's urban agenda to the U.S. mayors and U.S. presidential candidates
June 20th (location to be announced) - Peer to Peer EXTRAVAGANZA for Youth Jobs (April 30, 2008)
Students from youth organizations across the city are going on strike to demand city funding for youth jobs. - Frances Moore Lappe (November 5, 2007)
A public talk by FRANCES MOORE LAPPÉ on her new book, "Getting a Grip." Followed by a fundraising reception for Liberty Tree. - Democracy Track at the U.S. Social Forum (June 27, 2007 - July 1, 2007)
The Democracy Track is a series of sessions and community spaces at the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia, June 27-July 1, 2007. The purpose of these sessions is to centralize democracy in all of our everyday struggles. - Business Alliance for Local Living Economies Conference (May 31, 2007 - June 2, 2007)
Join entrepreneurs, innovators, community organizers, government officials, investors, and green business pioneers to explore cutting-edge social and environmental innovations, learn practical business skills, share best practices for network development, and connect with others in this flourishing network! - Summit for Community Wireless Networks (May 18, 2007 - May 20, 2007)
The summit is the largest gathering of wireless network developers, technology and policy experts, and community organizers working to build universal, low-cost broadband networks around the world. - Progressive Dialogue III
- Local Democracy Convention: The Community Power Road to Democracy
The Local Democracy Convention will feature some of the most cutting-edge local democracy organizing going on in the US and around the world. Convention participants will have opportunity to attend plenaries, panels, skills-building workshops, strategy sessions, and a party or two. Whether you have been doing local democracy work for years, or are just discovering that your concerns are directly related to local power and democracy, join us this fall for what is sure to be a defining moment in the development of a new democracy movement in the United States! - Green Policy Conference
- National Summit for Community Wireless Networks
Publications/Talks- Manski, Dolan: Has Your Town Declared Peace Yet? (June 16, 2008)
Tired of being ignored by the feds, citizens pass city laws declaring peace. Written by Ben Manski and Karen Dolan. Originally published by Yes! magazine.
- Foreign Policy Goes Local (January 31, 2008)
- Participatory Budgeting: From Porto Alegre, Brazil to the U.S. (January 29, 2008)
- Measure T Bans Corporate Campaign Financing (September 3, 2007)
The Fall 2007 issue of Yes Magazine features an article by Liberty Tree Fellow Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap. Kaitlin writes about Measure T, the groundbreaking campaign passed in Humboldt County, California that bans outside corporate money in elections and challenges the doctrine of corporate constitutional rights. - Video from the Local Democracy Convention (May 25, 2007)
Edited video footage from the 2006 Local Democracy Convention is now online, and also available for order! - Prospects for Participatory Democracy in the U.S.
"The task . . . is to facilitate the growth of an aggressive democracy movement in the United States." - Corporatization: An Internal Clash of Civilizations
Corporatization: An Internal Clash of Civilizations by Ben Manski and John Peck Published in "Beyond the Market: The Future of Public Services" - Wisconsin votes for immediate withdrawal!
Ballot resolutions put a state on the map as opposed to the occupation of Iraq - Midwest Social Forum Workshop: Building a Democracy Movement in the USA
Check out a short video from "BUILDING A DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES", a workshop by Liberty Tree Fellows Benjamin, Cobb, Manski, and Robinson, one of about 100 sessions at the 2006 Midwest Social Forum. - Local Democracy interview on public radio with Juscha Robinson and Gar Alperovitz
Renew democracy when Joy Cardin’s guests discuss how to encourage more participation in government in your own hometown. - Discussion of Democracy with Juscha Robinson, Ben Manski, and Amy Mondloch
- Z Magazine interviews Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap about Measure T
Democracy Unlimited: Daniel McLeod interviews Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap
Democracy News- Ecuador Constitutional Assembly Votes to Approve Rights of Nature In New Constitution (July 8th, 2008)
- Municipal ballot measure to ban military recruitment of children (6/12/08)
- Wisconsin county establishes relations with Andres Eloy Blanco, Venezuela (06/11/08)
- Chicago May Oppose Iran Invasion (May 15, 2008)
- Check Out the New Local Democracy Network! (February 26, 2008)
- The Nation: Liberty Tree MVP! (January 1, 2008)
- Frances Moore Lappe Speaking in Madison, WI (November 5, 2007)
- Activists in Olympia, WA Shut Down Port to Protest Use By the Military (November 16, 2007)
- Iraq War: The Heartland Speaks (November 8, 2007)
- V for Venezuela: A Talk by Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez Herrera (September 13, 2007)
- John Nichols on Liberty Tree's essential function (July 4, 2007)
- Humboldt County, CA Celebrates One Year Anniversary of Passing (June 6, 2007)
- Residents Eject Deputy Attorney General from Rural Township (May 13, 2007)
- Florida Ballot Initiative Will Let The People Directly Decide on Development (Saturday, April 21, 2007)
- Ontario Voters to Decide on Electoral Reform (Monday, April 16, 2007)
- Excerpts from a speech by Howard Zinn
- Interview with Gar Alperovitz
- 139 Massachusetts Communities to vote on immediate withdrawal from Iraq (Wed Oct 11, 2006 2:25 pm (PST))
- Midwest Social Forum, July 6-9 in Milwaukee! (June 21, 2006)
- A Major Victory for Local Democracy: Measure T Adopted! (June 6, 2006)
- Troop withdrawal initiatives going national (April 27, 2006)
- Wisconsin voters give a mandate for peace! (April 5, 2006)
- Three-dozen WI cities to vote on immediate Iraq withdrawal (3/25/2006)
- IRV in action in Burlington, VT: City elects Progressive mayor (March 8, 2006)
- Debate on ballot measure could go national (February 22, 2006)
- Social Forums Near You - Caracas, Milwaukee, Atlanta (January 2006 . . . July 2006 . . . Summer 2007)
Urgent Action
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