dialogue

A Zogby poll, commissioned by Allegheny College's Center for Political Participation, finds that 95 percent of Americans believe civility to be vital in effective political discourse, among some other interesting tidbits:

• A whopping 95 percent of Americans believe civility in politics is important for a healthy democracy.
• 87 percent suggest it is possible for people to disagree about politics respectfully.
• Nearly 50 percent of Americans believe there has been a decline in the tone of politics since Barack Obama became President; 39 percent say it has remained the same; and 10 percent suggest there has been an improvement.
• Citizens paying close attention to politics are four times as likely to say the tone of politics has gotten worse than those who pay only modest attention to the news.
• Radio listeners are much more likely to perceive a decline in civility than are newspaper readers.
• Blame for the decline in civility is spread widely, but political parties and the media are seen as the worst culprits.
• Liberals are twice as likely to promote compromise solutions, than are conservatives...

The full report can be accessed here.

One of the more refreshing events over the past couple weeks has been the formation of a new party, perhaps a movement, in the United States. A big welcome to the Coffee Party, an interesting reaction to the media's recent focus on the Tea Party's rise in 2009.

Annabel Park, the founder of the The Coffee Party started the organization out of frustration about the nature of our political discourse these days. The health care debate is a perfect example of the kind of gridlock that frustrated Annabel and restricts us from pursuing the common good. In her description of the party, Annabel is sure to state the organization's aversion to pundits, advisers, and lobbyists, explaining that the recent surge in popularity is simply a spontaneous event created by Americans tired of solutions being left unsolved.

One way the Coffee Party is moving forward is in the planning of "Coffee Parties," a caffeine-fueled play on meetups organized throughout the nation. As of now, the Coffee Party has encouraged its followers to hold their parties on Saturday, March 13 to sustain its rising national momentum. You can check for a party already planned for your area or plan one yourself here.

I am looking forward to seeing how the Coffee Party might be able to sustain this momentum and restore some sane, level-headed discussion to our politics. Most of all, I am curious as to how young people feel about this organization. Might it entice them to get involved despite their frustration? Is it a non-factor?

As of now (Saturday morning) there are nearly 100,000 "fans" of this effort on Facebook. The number is steadily rising.