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Caitie Whelan

Caitie Whelan

Setting the Right Goals for Democracy

There is old tape of Andre Agassi returning Pete Sampras' serve. Sampras pounds the ball down the middle, and Agassi whips it cross court, leaving Sampras to watch the ball fuzz fly by. Before Agassi, the return of serve was pure defense: block the ball back, a prayer to

The One Note That Can Change a Vote

I'm off today for the long weekend, but I pulled out this favorite from the archives. Wishing you a wonderful long weekend and, as my Mum would say, many unexpected miracles ahead. Today, let's discuss some people who aren't household names, but who can

One Question that Explains Most of Politics

I once read that a good story starts from one of two driving questions: Why is this happening? One Hundred Years of Solitude kicks off with Colonel Aureliano Buendía standing before a firing squad. We've got to know why. Why isn't this happening? The play Waiting

Why August is a Great Time to Reach Out to Your Member of Congress

"A golden afternoon of August: every breath from the hills so full of life that it seemed whoever respired it, though dying, might revive." Safe to say Emily Brontë wasn't writing about August in Washington, D.C. However full of life the Hill might be, the

How to Shape a Politician's Thinking

It is true that things are pretty grim out there. It's also true that one guaranteed way to make them worse is if we all walk off the field. So should this note find you hiding way down under the covers, I get it; we're allowed

The Power We're Leaving on the Table

I returned home from Wichita. But my baggage did not. Hours were spent with hold muzak and kind, fairly powerless customer service agents. What I needed was someone on the inside. Someone with the heft to get the train moving. The thing with American democracy is that we get to

One of the Most Overlooked Powers Our Politicians Have

When it comes to policy and politics, there's another 'p' word that shapes nearly everything: power. And there's one vital measure of power that easily gets overlooked, but has outsized influence: the power to get stuff done. Specifically, the power to take a flimsy

Three Things We Can Do for America Right Now

Years ago, I helped a friend move. After we'd gotten all the boxes, crates, bins, and coat hangers into his new place, he stood immobile at the door, paralyzed by where to begin. It was impossible to imagine this chaos ever becoming a comfortable little corner of the

What To Do About Congress, In Three Steps

Let's say you're not well pleased about what's been shaking out in Congress. And let's say you want to do something about it. What should you do? First: Focus on where you have influence I might be piss and vinegar about the

How We Can Strengthen Democracy Today

Dear Friend, I am out of the office today for the holiday. But I've rummaged through the archives and found this favorite for you. Keep the faith, Caitie Two Things We Can Do to Strengthen Democracy Today A few insights to set the mood: "The only recognizable