European Alternatives is a transnational membership organisation promoting democracy, equality and culture beyond the nation state. The nation state is no longer the appropriate political form in which to define democratic decision-making and active citizenship, equality between people, the respect and extension of rights. The nation state is not the appropriate political form to promote a responsible politics for the environment, ensure political control over the economy and an equitable distribution of wealth, or promote peace between people.
In recent decades the Portuguese citizens drifted away significantly from political life, as the growing electoral abstention shows, while the country plunged into a severe financial crisis and the need for an international bailout, with consequences that are proving destructive employment , social cohesion and the discrediting of the political and democratic regime.
The platform of the Partido da Terra encompasses eight types of sovereignty, based on the application of direct democracy at all levels: citizen sovereignty, which calls for a political reform based on direct democracy; territorial sovereignty, where a localist administrative reform that builds upon
The foundation aims to enhance each persons conscious awareness as well as achievement potential by supporting individual development of each person with the goal of personal well-being and the accomplishment of a unified society living in freedom.
The state of California is criticized for not being engaged enough in politics. In addition, it has some of the lowest civic engagement rates in the nation. “ Nationwide, California is ranked among the bottom five in voter registration rates and 46th in the percentage of people who talk about politics with their family and friends a few times a week or more” (Zocal Public Square). Civic engagement is an ongoing issue in California, specifically in the lens of the large political engagement issue when it comes to voting and voter registration.
The Center for Voter Deliberation of Northern Virginia is a non-profit whose main objective is to organize community deliberations with people in the local area. The institution was established in 2009 and was one of the first of its kind. Using a web-based blog platform, they make community members aware of the deliberations they are sponsoring in the area. Blog entries on their website are posted detailing the subject of the deliberation and time and place at which the deliberation will occur and how to become a participant.
The California Citizens Redistricting Commission is a political redistricting organization that operates on behalf of the state of California. Its main responsibilities include evaluating the 2010 United States Census in order to determine new Senate, Assembly and Board of Equilization districts for the next decade. [3]
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life wants to educate organizations and communities on how to engage in deliberative discussion and its benefits of reaching collaborative solutions.
Americans Elect is a nonprofit nonpartisan organization whose goal is to “fix the way we elect our leaders” by implementing the first non partisan, national online presidential primary. Americans Elect has focused on achieving three clear goals:
Gaining nationwide ballot access for a third presidential ticket to compete in the 2012 race;
Holding the first ever nonpartisan secure national online primary at AmericansElect.org;
Fielding a credible, balanced, unaffiliated ticket for the 2012 presidential race.
