As Congress returns following one of its most unproductive years–with only twenty-seven bills signed into law in 2023–Voice of the People has identified more than 200 policy positions supported by majorities of both Republican & Democratic voters. Most are legislative proposals that have been introduced, but not moved in Congress.
Using public consultations that survey large representative samples of Americans, Voice of the People has been working to identify common ground positions as part of its ongoing program, the Common Ground of the American People, since 2018.
“While some believe that polarization in Congress mirrors a divided public, it is clear there is far more common ground among the people than in Congress,” said JP Thomas, Vice President of Voice of the People.
In the last year, Voice of the People has identified common ground on a range of issues including: restricting federal policymakers from buying stocks and lobbying former colleagues, federal funding for substance use disorder treatment, imposing term limits for Congress, instituting a $12 minimum wage, and not criminalizing abortion.
To identify areas of bipartisan common ground, Voice of the People partners with the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) at the University of Maryland, which conducts public consultations. The common ground list also includes “deliberative polls” conducted by James Fishkin and the Deliberative Democracy Lab at Stanford University, which involve deliberative discussions among respondents and with experts. Neither organization takes policy positions.
Public consultations are conducted with large representative samples of Americans, who receive briefings on policy proposals, evaluate pro and con arguments, and then register their views. Experts with differing policy perspectives review survey content, ensuring that the briefings and arguments are accurate and balanced.
The Common Ground of the People is a foundation on which leaders and the parties can build. It provides government officials a roadmap for solving problems and better reflecting the will of the people.
Voice Of the People (VOP) is a nonpartisan organization working to re-anchor our democracy in its founding principles by giving ‘We the People’ a greater and more effective voice in government.
