Together, we bring common sense to American politics in four steps.
1. IDENTIFY ISSUES
Our Members identify solutions with the greatest promise of attracting broad, cross-partisan support.
These issues fall into two categories including substantive issues (such as healthcare, the debt and deficit, and immigration) and democratic reform issues (such as election reform and the partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts).
2. DEVELOP BRIEFS
Our staff develops a thorough policy brief on each issue.
These are policy briefs, not position papers. Our staff doesn’t draw conclusions about what the right answers are, but works hard to make the strongest case for each competing perspective.
3. WEIGH IN
Each member reviews the brief to which they’ve been randomly assigned and weighs in on the policy questions.
Members commit to spend 90 minutes each year reviewing the brief to which they are randomly assigned. Members review the brief online on their own schedule. Random assignment ensures that we don’t replicate the partisan and special interest problems we aim to address.
4. SHARE YOUR OWN VIEWS
Each member shares their own views with their members of Congress.
We don’t take policy positions as an organization. Instead, we follow the principle of Loyalty to Conscience. Each member shares their own views whatever those views are. This provides a reflection of what Americans–Republicans, Democrats, and independents–think having had a chance to review a non-partisan brief.
Make the CommonSense Commitment
Political Affiliation of our Members
With members in all 50 states, our balanced membership reflects the nation both politically and geographically.
WHY IT WORKS
Through an organization called The Common Interest, Idaho conservatives, moderates, and liberals brought common sense to state politics.
As everyday citizens we’re not nearly as divided left and right as most elected officials. We can give needed political support to Congress’s practical problem solvers.
The Founders’ defense against runaway partisanship is a robust separation of powers. Separation of powers creates an affirmative imperative to find and champion broadly supported solutions. We can do this.
An unprecedented partisan rift between the major political parties makes our efforts to move past partisanship more important than ever.
Guiding Principles
Understand why we do what we do.
As we take the four steps together, we are guided by three principles:
1. THE COMMONSENSE PRINCIPLE2. THE LOYALTY TO CONSCIENCE PRINCIPLE3. THE GOLDEN RULE OF SELF-GOVERNMENT
What We've Done
It’s worth taking stock of the significant progress we’ve made in bringing commonsense to Washington. We’ve taken on three issues so far. A common way to express that something is really hard is to say, “That’s like trying to pass an act of Congress.” Yet in these bitter partisan times, we’ve played an important role in passing an act of Congress on two of our issues and are making significant progress on the third.
Together, we’re demonstrating that Americans can come together to identify solutions wise enough to attract support across our divisions and then be a powerful voice championing those solutions in Congress.
We know the challenges we face as a country remain daunting. At CommonSense American, we don’t just complain, we’re effective at doing something about them.
2021
INFRASTRUCTURE
Thousands of members have read the Brief on Infrastructure and weighed in. Congress listened, and the bipartisan Infrastructure bill was signed by President Biden on November 16, 2021.
Read the Case StudyView Results
2019-2020
CONGRESSIONAL REFORM
Members of CommonSense American have weighed in on Congressional Reform and are very supportive of the work being done by The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, especially the bipartisan recommendations.
View Results
2019
SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLING
The work that CommonSense American has done on Surprise Medical Billing is complete. Our members helped end Surprise Medical Bills for all Americans.
Read the Case StudyView Results
