“My goal in this book isn't just to diagnose the problem,” explains Nick Troiano, Executive Director of Unite America. “But to give people a solution that is viable and can happen right there in their own states.”
That book is “The Primary Solution: Rescuing Our Democracy from the Fringes,” published this week by Simon & Schuster in time for another polarizing primary season. Yet Nick notes in the book, as in our interview, that a record number of 2024 state level efforts to reform primary elections may soon shift the US Congress from gridlock to governance.
“This will be the most robust year for election reform that we've seen in the modern era,” says Troiano who ran for Congress a decade ago in his mid twenties as an independent in Pennsylvania. “The people do agree that every voter should have the right to vote for any candidate in every election, and that elected officials have to win a majority of votes to get elected.”
Troiano also details the importance of Alaska’s Final Four electoral reforms, passed in 2020 and utilized in the 2022 election, as proof of concept for other state and city efforts.
“At the end of the day, we all have one vote,” says Troiano. “There's nothing so wrong with the state of our democracy that we can't fix with the tools that our democracy gives us to do so.”
Tune in to learn how as few as 6 state level initiatives could motivate Congress to tackle such long standing chronic issues as the fiscal deficit, gun violence and immigration reform.
The Purple Principle is a Fluent Knowledge production. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney.
SHOW NOTES
Our Guest
Nick Troiano: Bio, X (Twitter)
Executive Director, Unite America
Additional Resources
Nicks Book Information
Primary Elections
Alaska Case Study by Unite America
Problem Solving Caucus
Nevada and Open Primaries
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Less Partisan Elections in Alaska 2022? These Not So United States (AK Part One)
Revisiting GOP Party Dynamics: The Decline of Moderates & Rise of Populism
Great American Independents (Part Two): Andrew Heaton on Liberty, Justice & Satire for All
Great American Independents (Part One): Amy Chua on Political Tribalism
Strength in Diversity, Weakness in One Party Rule? These Not So United States (CA Finale)
2022 California Primaries by Faction & Tortilla with Gustavo Arellano: These Not So United States (CA Part 2)
One Golden State, Two Democratic Parties: These Not So United States (CA Part 1)
Georgia On All Our Minds: These Not So United States
Politically Persuadable But Focused on Jobs? Hispanic American Swing Voters (Part 1)
Like Family, Like Nation: A Braver Angel Mediates Polarization at Home & Nationwide
Is Texas the Future of America? These Not So United States (TX Finale)
A New American Operating System? These Not So United States (TX Part 6)
Lone Star Launch Pad for Rear-Guard America? These Not So United States (TX Part 5)
Polarized Politics & Hispanic Identity: These Not So United States (TX Part 4)
Growth, Diversity & One Party Politics? These Not So United States (TX Part 3)
Strongest Identity of Them Y’all? These Not So United States (TX Part 2)
Messing with that Texas Identity? These Not So United States (TX Part 1)
Heard the One About a Centrist Congressman? Carlos Curbelo on Polarization in the House
Voice of Reason for Independent Minds: Talking Media & Polarization with CNN's Michael Smerconish
The United States of Narcissism? Speaking of Democracy’s Worst Enemies
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