Now Is the Time to Connect People to Politics
Does this sound familiar? Both sides claim they are absolutely right. We’re often more likely to read about angry Twitter feeds in the news than encounter a real discussion of the issues. It’s not uncommon anymore for people to delete their “friends” on social media if they disagree on an issue. There’s no conversation.
And where can all of this leave Illinois citizens? Discouraged about engaging in the political process. Stranded, in search of a place to go for objective, fact-based information. The polarization of our politics, of course, coincides with a shrinking news industry and less and less focus on reliable news.
In Illinois, we offer an alternative: The Center for Illinois Politics. In today’s fractious world, people need clear information so they can make decisions and play an active role in politics. That’s what we’re about. We present politics without a partisan agenda. Our position is to not take a position. We’re not competing against anyone. Our goal is to connect people to politics.
What We Do
We embrace something that has for too long been largely absent from Illinois – and national – politics. We provide an approach to politics that is based on facts and easy-to-digest stories that can help people get engaged in the political process.
Every week, we publish a report or article by journalists on our website, https://www.centerforilpolitics.org/. You will find stories and research grounded in factual data.
Our work also does not depend on advertising revenue or the pressures of a market that can impact the objective presentation of factual information about key issues.
We are a nonprofit organization. We have faith that people in Illinois want straightforward information about key issues of the day – whether that means Covid-19, the proposed progressive tax, pension funding, school equity, recreational marijuana, campaign funding, and more. One recent example: Amidst the turmoil and shouting over whether – and how – votes will be counted this fall, we presented a piece on whether Illinois is prepared for vote-by-mail.
Who We Are
The Center was founded by a group of bipartisan elected officials and civic-minded people. That shouldn’t be a bold or unusual thing – but it is. More than ever, our state and country’s politics has given way to angry social media posts, and rancor. Our alternative is based on data-driven analysis. We believe the political process must be transparent and accessible. Content that appears on our site is developed by seasoned journalists and reviewed without any political agenda.
We’re very, very familiar with the years and even decades of budget fights in Illinois, of elected officials who may never even commit to a conversation with those on the other side of the aisle. Meanwhile, there’s a growing cadre of people in Illinois and around the country whose sole job is to search for and destroy other people and organizations for political and financial gain.
It doesn’t have to be this way. The Center for Illinois Politics was founded by people who once worked on opposite sides of the political aisle in Springfield. Our board represents a diverse and open-minded group of people who have long been committed to civic engagement.
This is Illinois, of course, so we would not be surprised to hear some people ask “Really? What is it you really want?” Mike Royko once famously wrote that the motto of Chicago should be changed from “Urbs in horto” – City in a Garden – to “Ubi Est Mea,” Latin for “Where’s Mine?” So what’s the catch – what do we get out of promoting a nonpartisan vision of Illinois politics? There is no catch. We aim to engage people in state and local politics that is less about “Mine” and more about “Ours.”
We believe that when people in Illinois learn more about issues that affect us all in a clear and direct way, they want to be more engaged in politics. We ask for your support.
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