Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Questions to ask at home on debate night

Who's planning to watch the Vice Presidential debate tomorrow? Are you dreading it or looking forward to a heated discussion? This close to the election it might feel like everything there is to say has already been said. But I've actually been thinking that a lot of the most essential questions aren't being asked. I'm not alone. 


The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation just put together a debate tool to help viewers at home center their conversations with family, friends and coworkers around what it takes to move the country forward.


Check out some of the questions they propose we ask ourselves: 

1) Do the candidates talk about the role of community and our obligation to one another, or talk just about the role and size of government?
 

2) Do the candidates talk about how Americans must come together and get things done in our communities, or talk only about what they will do to solve problems for us?
 

3) Do the candidates talk about the hard steps required to get the country moving on a new path forward, or do they promise quick fixes and instant gratification?
 

4) Do the candidates help us restore our belief in ourselves, or do they contribute to more noise, acrimony and division? 

What do you think? What are some of the questions you're asking yourself this election season?

1 comment:

  1. Thank you Caitlin for the thoughtful post, and thank to Rich Harwood, my mentor on public leadership. This guide helps us see that authentic and effective leadership is lacking too often because we are asking the wrong questions! Let's ask better questions and we WILL get better leadership.

    ReplyDelete