State of the Union 2012 - #sittogether
"The dialogue in Washington isn't working for anyone—not Congress, not Americans, and not America. We urge the leaders of both houses of Congress to permanently retire partisan seating at the State of the Union."
If you support YOUR Congress sitting together at the State of the Union - please contact your members of Congress to let them know where you stand (and they should sit) in 2012
Last year, with the leadership of Senators Mark Udall and Lisa Murkowski, we helped to end more than a century of tradition and had members of Congress sit together during the President’s State of the Union address. After another year of partisan heartburn, we are renewing and expanding this request:
1) Sit together during the State of the Union and make mixed seating permanent. The spectacle of one side of the room leaping to its feet and the other sitting glumly on its hands is just that – a spectacle. Let’s end this running joke once and for all.
2) Agree to a 24-hour smack talk ceasefire. In the 24 hours leading up to the State of the Union, we ask that politicians and their campaigns speak only about the merits of their ideas, not the demerits of the opposing party’s ideas.
3) Spend a weekend together. We ask that Congress set aside one weekend each year to gather together and spend time getting to know each other.
In short, we’re asking for Congress to sit together, not apart. Talk to each other, don’t yell. Know each other, don’t be strangers.
We are not seeking miracles; we don’t expect to hear strains of Kumbaya. But we cannot imagine Congress solving the nation’s problems unless some form of civility is restored.
Here are some of the ways that you can help:
Tweet about the campaign using the hashtags #sittogether, #SOTU and #24hrcivility. Cite @ThirdWayTweet and @markudall and @lisamurkowski for their leadership. Link to our letter: bit.ly/vZ5Qn0
Post information about the campaign on your Facebook page. Link @ThirdWay in your comments. Use the #sittogether graphic found here: bit.ly/A8Gg8p. Post our #sittogether video once it’s posted online Thursday.
Add to our Odd Couple page on Tumblr: bit.ly/z6eHhp Be clever (!) and encourage others to add their own ideas and images.
Tell the story of the campaign on Facebook and Twitter using the link to our Storify page: bit.ly/yTpgsV
READ OUR OPEN LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP:
State of the Union 2012 - #sittogether
"The dialogue in Washington isn't working for anyone—not Congress, not Americans, and not America. We urge the leaders of both houses of Congress to permanently retire partisan seating at the State of the Union."
If you support YOUR Congress sitting together at the State of the Union - please contact your members of Congress to let them know where you stand (and they should sit) in 2012
Last year, with the leadership of Senators Mark Udall and Lisa Murkowski, we helped to end more than a century of tradition and had members of Congress sit together during the President’s State of the Union address. After another year of partisan heartburn, we are renewing and expanding this request:
1) Sit together during the State of the Union and make mixed seating permanent. The spectacle of one side of the room leaping to its feet and the other sitting glumly on its hands is just that – a spectacle. Let’s end this running joke once and for all.
2) Agree to a 24-hour smack talk ceasefire. In the 24 hours leading up to the State of the Union, we ask that politicians and their campaigns speak only about the merits of their ideas, not the demerits of the opposing party’s ideas.
3) Spend a weekend together. We ask that Congress set aside one weekend each year to gather together and spend time getting to know each other.
In short, we’re asking for Congress to sit together, not apart. Talk to each other, don’t yell. Know each other, don’t be strangers.
We are not seeking miracles; we don’t expect to hear strains of Kumbaya. But we cannot imagine Congress solving the nation’s problems unless some form of civility is restored.
Here are some of the ways that you can help:
Tweet about the campaign using the hashtags #sittogether, #SOTU and #24hrcivility. Cite @ThirdWayTweet and @markudall and @lisamurkowski for their leadership. Link to our letter: bit.ly/vZ5Qn0
Post information about the campaign on your Facebook page. Link @ThirdWay in your comments. Use the #sittogether graphic found here: bit.ly/A8Gg8p. Post our #sittogether video once it’s posted online Thursday.
Add to our Odd Couple page on Tumblr: bit.ly/z6eHhp Be clever (!) and encourage others to add their own ideas and images.
Tell the story of the campaign on Facebook and Twitter using the link to our Storify page: bit.ly/yTpgsV
READ OUR OPEN LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP: