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American Institutions Network

From 2019-2019, R Street’s American Institutions Network (AIN) focused on the protection of democratic norms and American institutions by fostering discussions, partnerships and action. A collaborative discussion group, AIN aimed to shift today’s policy discussions away from politically-charged headlines to focus on the underlying institutional and cultural shifts that are threatening America’s form of government. Our points of focus were:

 

Congress as the First Branch: Congress must provide a real check of power to the executive branch and assert its place as the “first branch”, ensuring that the executive operates within legal, ethical and statutory bounds. Congress must retain its ability to legislate through normal, established, and traditional legislative procedure and channels.

 

Professional, Honest Government Institutions: Government agencies must not be used to monitor, attack, or punish political opponents. Regulatory structures must be appropriate, unilateral, and long-term. Information that is being used to inform decision making must be reliable and accurate. Information provided by government officials should be honest and grounded in empirical fact.

 

An Independent Judiciary: America’s judicial branch must be respected as apolitical, including, but not limited to, rejecting outcome-based views of justice and politicization.

 

A Free Press: The press must be identified and seen as a viable check on political power rather than a political propaganda tool itself. It must be re-established as an institution of our republic.

 

Civil, Loyal Opposition: Political dialogue and debate are essential to America’s form of government. As such, mutual tolerance, the understanding that competing parties accept one another as legitimate, should be consistently practiced. Information that is released to the public and used in public discourse by our political leaders must be trusted as true and accurate. Additionally, forbearance, or the idea that election-winners exercise respectful and appropriate restraint when wielding power rather than treating politics as winner-take-all, is necessary for the continuation of national stability.

Filter Listing

News American Institutions Network, Democratic Institutions, Federal Government Affairs

House defies norms by violating procedural rule in order to pass CR

Aubrey Neal Nov 25, 2019
News American Institutions Network, Democratic Institutions, Federal Government Affairs

Whistleblowers are essential to America’s health and safety

Aubrey Neal Nov 12, 2019
News American Institutions Network, Democratic Institutions, Federal Government Affairs

The dust has settled: The national security consequences of storming the SCIF far outweigh the political gains.

Aubrey Neal Nov 8, 2019
News American Institutions Network, Democratic Institutions, Federal Government Affairs

The power of the congressional subpoena: Two cases test administration’s claim that presidential advisors are “absolutely immune” to Congress’ call for testimony.

Aubrey Neal Nov 8, 2019
Real Solutions American Institutions Network, Democratic Institutions

Why We Aren’t Taking a Position on Impeachment

Eli Lehrer Oct 22, 2019
In the News American Institutions Network, Federal Government Affairs, Governance

Denver’s rapidly-shrinking school choice tent

Andy Smarick Oct 16, 2019 Thomas B Fordham Institute
In the News American Institutions Network, Cybersecurity Policy, Political Civility

George Conway, conservative lawyers call for ‘expeditious’ impeachment investigation

Paul Rosenzweig Oct 10, 2019 MSNBC
News American Institutions Network, Federal Government Affairs, Political Civility

Celebration of a Norm: The Civility of the Supreme Court

Aubrey Neal, Anthony Marcum Oct 9, 2019
Op-Eds American Institutions Network, Federal Government Affairs, Governance, Restoring the First Branch

Three impeachment scenarios dangerous for democracy

Kristen Nyman, Anthony Marcum Oct 9, 2019 The Fulcrum
In the News American Institutions Network, Cybersecurity Policy, Federal Government Affairs, Foreign Affairs

Trump’s impeachment inquiry entangles White House and disrupts foreign policy

Paul Rosenzweig Oct 6, 2019 The National

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