Robots are, to put it frankly, just better at some things than humans, and can do many things humans cannot.
Read Matt Lackey's Latest for The States Forum, Democracy After The Algorithm, at the link in bio
“You are what you eat, what you eat is information, and if you eat bad information you do crazy stuff that’s anti-social.”
Read Matt Lackey's Latest for The States Forum, Democracy After The Algorithm, at the link in bio
The task ahead is simple but urgent: Stop optimizing for the past. Build for the future. The survival of our democracy depends on it.
Meanwhile, too many people fighting to preserve democracy are stuck arguing over old tactics and outdated strategies, approaches that already feel like the past.
Right now, those who would weaken our democracy are moving fast, adapting to the new social media environment with ruthless clarity.
Is a pro-social media environment even possible in the future? That’s what Matt Lackey tackles in this week’s Substack, Democracy After The Algorithm
Great piece from States Forum Network member @robertgo.bsky.social on how governors and mayors need to get serious about delivering excellent public services. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/o...
Madison's promise only works if someone keeps it. And now it’s on the states to do just that.
Read the full journal here: www.statesforum.org/journals/iss...
And a real conversation from Marshall Kosloff about how liberals need a better story — not better talking points.
Essays on how states can use their own balance sheets, their own courts, their own corporate chartering powers to fight back.
Plans to fix the cost of living crisis at the state level.
You’ll hear from Susan Rice on why she believes we've already entered what’s called “competitive authoritarianism” — and how we can combat it.
Matt Lackey on how we can build digital media that strengthens our democracy.
The States Forum published the second issue of our journal, Double Security.
This isn't doom scrolling. This is a playbook. A series of essays, real tools, real solutions. From governors' offices to state treasuries to your statehouse.
Federal institutions are straining. Trust is collapsing. And people across the political spectrum feel like the system isn't working for them anymore. So we asked a question — what if the states are the answer?
In 1788, James Madison made a promise. He called it "double security." The idea was simple — divide power between the federal government and the states so no one can grab too much of it. That promise is the entire reason we have the system we have.
What if the thing that saves American democracy. . .isn't Washington?
You’ll see 3 things on your power bill:
• Supply – making electricity
• Transmission – big lines
• Distribution – neighborhood wires
For years T&D drove costs. Now?
Supply costs are rising because we’re not building power fast enough. States can fix this. statesforum.substack.com/p/the-year-o...
Grid reliability. Utility bills that work for consumers, not investors. Bad Bunny's half time show sent a message about power: all Americans deserve to be able to keep the lights on. thehill.com/blogs/in-the...
If your immigration message fits on a yard sign, you’re losing. Nuance creates consensus. Slogans create backlash. New polling on immigration in this week’s Substack: statesforum.substack.com/p/americans-...
AI is already in classrooms. Now we need to decide: whose rules, whose safeguards. States are starting to write the playbook.
www.multistate.us/insider/2026...
January is long, dark, and freezing—but the ideas in our January Book aren’t.
States have real power to take on the cost-of-living squeeze and defend our rights. We’re ending this month with ideas built for this moment. Read below. www.statesforum.org/january-book/
Former National Security Advisor @AmbassadorRice on authoritarianism, federal power, and the erosion of democratic guardrails. Read an excerpt from her full interview in next month’s edition of The States Forum Journal in this week's Substack: open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...
The Virginia state legislature is back — and the early agenda is a clear statement of priorities: civil rights, mental health care, and cost-of-living relief. Not culture wars - governing.
wjla.com/news/local/v...
Alex Brennan of @futurewise.bsky.social &
@cityjane.bsky.social talk about the American housing nightmare and how states can step in to define best practice regulation that increases supply and brings down costs.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
Colleges play a vital role in our democracy, and preserving freedom of expression on campus is essential to our future.
Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath discusses how states can help protect our students and faculties’ voices.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
“All we say to America is, ‘Be true to what you said on paper.’” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Teaching U.S. history requires being clear-eyed about our challenges & how we've worked to overcome them.
More on what civic education *should* look like:
statesforum.substack.com/p/being-true...
Citizen-led ballot initiatives can be a key way to institute the change we want to see at the state level.
Read more in @newamerica.org about how everyone can join the governing process.
www.newamerica.org/political-re...
More from our January book!
@robertgo.bsky.social discusses how
we hire the right people to do the people’s work. Delivering on democracy requires getting the best talent into government - efficiently.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
In this week’s Substack, Marissa Gillett talks investor-owned utilities, why (and how) rates are skyrocketing, and how YOU can get involved in fixing this cost of living crisis.
statesforum.substack.com/p/is-the-sky...
In this piece, Danielle Allen argues that President Trump’s recently coined ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is a dagger aimed at the heart of American democracy. statesforum.substack.com/p/on-the-don...
From the January Book: Paul Monteiro writes about service and helps us deeply engage in civic life, and how states like Maryland, California, and New York are instituting programs to support young people in strengthening their communities.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
