Toward an Engaged Citizenry and a Robust Democracy

Statement by Common Cause President Miles Rapoport on President Obama's Remarks at SXSW

“The President touched repeatedly today on one of the most neglected issues of the 2016 presidential campaign: the frustrations millions of Americans feel toward government and the barriers they face to engagement with government.

“While online systems are not sufficiently secure to permit online voting, technologies are in place to boost civic participation through innovations like online voter registration, same-day registration, and automatic registration. But in too many states, short-sighted political leaders have put their partisan interests in holding onto office ahead of the public interest in a robust democracy and an engaged citizenry.

“This is a problem that demands attention from leaders in both major parties and at every level of government. As the President suggested, we cannot solve the nation’s problems unless citizens are involved. Congress can start to help make that happen by acting this year on the Voting Rights Advancement Act, common sense legislation to restore voter protections lost in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v Holder.”

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