Exploring critical issues facing our democracy and searching for solutions.
There are serious debates to be had about government spending, but the edge of a shutdown is no place to have them. Ignoring the consequences won’t bring us closer to more responsible government, two University of Chicago experts write.
We want to hear from you. Tell us what you think is wrong with our democracy and share how you think we can fix it.
What is the Democracy Solutions Project?
A partnership between the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government and Chicago Public Media, this multi-part, multimedia series will take a solutions-oriented approach to reporting on the critical issues facing American democracy today. Through stories, listening experiences, opinion pieces and news from the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ, we’ll examine the current threats to our democracy, including barriers to voting, cynicism, misinformation, polarization and much more. And, we’ll search for solutions.
Featured news
Take our 15-point quiz on the Illinois and U.S. constitutions, based on real questions students face.
Participatory budgeting offers people a chance to vote on spending projects in their wards. It started in the United States in Chicago, but its growth has stalled.
In Illinois, 8% of the population doesn’t speak English very well, and that’s a barrier for immigrants participating in civic life. Dozens of organizations such as the Selfreliance Association have partnered with the city and state to help limited English speakers access health care, food stamps and other services.
Even in states that allow abortion if the life of the mother is in danger, doctors say fear of prosecution is leading many to send high-risk patients to Illinois.
It seems like the Supreme Court is making more and more landmark decisions affecting Americans’ day-to-day lives. We talk with experts on how the court is using its power more often and whether the other branches of government are pushing back.
Featured editorials
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had to step forward, given the brazenness of the alleged actions, including charges that Trump’s allies tried to tamper with one county’s voting machines.
The conspiracy charges announced by Special Counsel Jack Smith were a necessary step in establishing the extent of former president’s alleged assault on the rule of law.
The federal government must step in with more funding and resources. Immigration is a national issue. Solutions must come at the national level.
Trump received a letter informing him he is a target of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 investigation, typically a sign of a coming indictment. The public needs to know the details of whatever role Trump played in the coup attempt.
In the runup to the 2024 election, the Sun-Times, WBEZ and the Center for Effective Government at the University of Chicago will be collaborating on a project to educate our audience about the threat to our democracy and how we can form “a more perfect union.”
For the charges against Donald Trump to shake up the 2024 election, the DOJ needs to fix his actions within a larger plot, a University of Chicago expert writes. Did Trump intend to use state secrets to advance his family’s business interests abroad?
A year after Roe v. Wade fell, Illinois Democrat and GOP lawmakers fight for legislation.
The laws governing the handling of secret documents are there for a reason: to keep the country safe. Former President Donald Trump has been charged with egregiously violating those laws, and a just resolution to this case is important for America’s future.
Eight Republican-led states have pulled out of the nation’s bipartisan electronic system that checks voter registration records for accuracy. More states could choose to pull out. It’s a threat to the integrity of our elections.
In advance of the 2024 election, Chicago Public Media is launching a new initiative, The Democracy Solutions Project, where journalists from WBEZ and The Chicago Sun-Times dig into the big themes and questions surrounding democracy in the United States.
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