FixUS Initiative Launches to Better Understand & Address Growing National Divisions

For Immediate Release

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget is launching FixUS, a new project to better understand and address the political, economic, and cultural root causes of our nation’s growing divisions.

With the United States facing a paralyzed political system and growing cultural divide, FixUS will work with others to bring attention to these issues, the need to fix them, and to build support for necessary changes. FixUS is founded on the premise that our polarized political environment is preventing us from dealing with a range of critical threats and challenges.

“In many ways the debt has come to symbolize our paralyzed political system, one that rewards hyper-partisanship and short-term gain at long-term expense. FixUS was created because we recognize that until we address the underlying causes of our divisions, our nation will be unlikely to meaningfully address the range of challenges facing us in the 21^st century, including the national debt,” said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

To better understand what is causing Americans to lose trust and faith in our politicians, institutions, and each other, FixUS launched a Nationwide Roadshow and Listening Tour. Since August 2018, the Roadshow engaged with more than 70 audiences in 27 states as part of an effort to better understand what citizens think, value, and believe is causing heightened levels of political division, and what can be done about it.

“Traveling the country, we found that Americans are frustrated and exhausted by the division and political partisanship gripping our nation. That should surprise no one. However, we also discovered a willingness and desire to work together and to keep the conversation going about how we bridge these national divisions,” said Michael V. Murphy, FixUS director.

The findings from the FixUS Roadshow will be unveiled tomorrow at “Bridging Our Divides: Confronting America’s Threat from Within.” This public forum will also bring together Members of Congress, thought leaders, and reform activists for a series of discussions about the economic, political, and cultural causes of our growing national divisions. To learn more about “Bridging Our Divides” or to register for the event, please click here; space is limited. 

For addition information about FixUS, the Roadshow, or to sign-up please visit: https://www.crfb.org/project/fixus.

###

For more information, please contact Ben Tomchik, deputy chief of staff, at tomchik@crfb.org.