Conversation with Senators Tom Daschle and Trent Lott
On Wednesday, July 23rd, NICD Executive Director Keith Allred hosted former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle (D) and Trent Lott (R)—co-chairs of NICD’s National Advisory Board—for a discussion on the need to engage political differences with civility and purpose in today’s polarized environment. Drawing on their bipartisan leadership in the 1990s and early 2000s, the former senators underscored that cooperation across the aisle is the foundation on which effective governance is built. While acknowledging the deepening polarization in recent years, they emphasized that courage, principled compromise, and genuine personal relationships remain indispensable to rebuilding trust and advancing the public good. Despite their political differences, Senators Daschle and Lott’s mutual respect and enduring rapport was unmistakable, offering a compelling example of the civic cooperation still possible in American politics. Above all, they stressed the vital role of everyday citizens in strengthening democracy, particularly through initiatives like CommonSense American. Their conversation will also be featured in a new college course designed to foster civic engagement and bipartisan understanding.
Senator Trent Lott (left), NICD Executive Director Keith Allred (Center), Senator Tom Daschle (left)
Help Pick Our 2025 Issue (RTI)
With Congress passing the Workforce Pell bill as part of its reconciliation package, our attention now turns exclusively to picking our next topic. The 2025 Rate-The-Issues (RTI) survey is open, focusing on the most compelling opportunities for bipartisan cooperation drawn from extensive conversations with congressional offices from both parties. The issues presented center around policy proposals that leaders trust will receive support from across the aisle.
We are actively meeting with congressional offices to share our members’ views and help them select an issue with broad-based bipartisan support to work on this year. Our past track record and the additional promise of working with these groups make it clear that weighing in as a CommonSense American is a more powerful way than ever to make a real difference. Your opinions can inform influential bipartisan legislation in 2025. Don’t miss your chance to make your voice heard! Weigh in and Rate The Issues today.
State Ambassadors
We are still looking for volunteer ambassadors in the following states:
HI, NE, SD, WV, NC, LA, ME, RI
Do you want to be more involved with CommonSense American? Consider becoming a volunteer State Ambassador! Click here to learn more and apply! We have an outstanding team that collaborates with state ambassadors to schedule and deliver briefings on the results of CSA outreach. If you’re interested, you can join this incredible group of Americans working together to bring common sense back to Congress.