ABOUT THE AUTHOR, THE COURSE TEXTBOOK, AND FUTURE DEMOCRACY

As America deals with domestic terrorism and promotes democracy abroad, a former Congressman turned scholar suggests that Americans pay attention to the future of their own Great Experiment or risk unsettling changes.

Glen Browder wrote The Future of American Democracy because he believes that, "Growing philosophical tensions over historic ideals, cultural values and principles of governance are transforming our national democratic experiment. Our civic mix of people, politics and government no longer works the way it has in the past. Therefore, it is time for serious national dialogue about America."

Following are a dozen pertinent questions and answers about the book and Browder's efforts to promote national dialogue about the future of the Great Experiment. Additional information is available at the website www.futureofamericandemocracy.org; and Browder may be contacted directly at 256-782-5356.

1. WHO IS GLEN BROWDER AND WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?

Glen Browder is Eminent Scholar in American Democracy at Jacksonville State University in Alabama and Distinguished Visiting Professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in California. Dr. Browder has bridged the gap between classroom civics and real-world government during a diverse career as public official, political activist, and professional educator. His extensive public service (as United States Congressman, Alabama Secretary of State, and Alabama State Legislator), political experience (as party official and campaign consultant), and academic background (as political science professor) have focused on political reform and adjustment to a changing world.

In The Future of American Democracy: A Former Congressman's Unconventional Analysis (University Press of America, 2002), Browder questions America's democratic destiny and encourages national debate about the uncertain future of our "Great Experiment."

2. WHY DID GLEN BROWDER WRITE THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?

The former Congressman says that when he left politics a few years ago, major publishers were interested in standard college texts and partisan kiss-and-tell books — but he wasn't. "I wanted to talk seriously and unconventionally about what I considered the most important issue of contemporary public life — the future of American democracy. Over time, I would learn many realistic, sometimes discouraging, sometimes rewarding lessons about the writing and publishing world — and retrospectively, the most useful lesson I learned was pretty simple: I wrote the book that I wanted to write rather than what other people told me to write; and I'm happy with the outcome."

3. WHAT'S SO "UNCONVENTIONAL" ABOUT BROWDER'S ANALYSIS?

Browder's analysis is an unusual challenge (comprehensive in its scope, bold in its critique, yet responsible in its provocation) to conventional democratic wisdom from someone who should know (based on a unique combination of political experience and academic credentials) what he's talking about. Unfortunately, Browder says, "Current public discussion about American democracy is a stale orthodoxy of simplistically progressive ideas about diversity and direct democracy buttressed by theoretically limited and politically cautious analysis; furthermore, those who muster sufficient civic courage to sound the alarm too often are afflicted with excessive ideological arrogance."

After a lengthy career rooted in practical reform, he confronts conventional democratic wisdom about the indomitable progression of our national democratic endeavor. Finally, he suggests provocative but constructive recommendations for the future of the Great Experiment.

4. WHAT IS THE THESIS OF THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?

Browder argues that America is changing in ways that are important and unsettling for the future of American democracy. Inevitable systemic developments and growing philosophical tensions over historic ideals, cultural values, and principles of governance are turning our national democratic experiment into an exercise in democratic distemper.

Our civic mix of people, politics, and government no longer works the way it has in the past; and we seem to be tiring of the Great Experiment itself. Therefore, it is time for serious national dialogue about America — including some alternative scenarios and the possibility of a transformational "New America" — in the Twenty-First Century.

5. WHAT IS THE CENTRAL QUESTION POSED IN THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?

According to Browder the central, disturbing question for Twenty-First Century America is as follows: "Can our nation — a people of growing cultural diversity with increasingly divergent ideals, values, and governance principles, in a constrained systemic environment — continue to sustain our collective pursuit of freedom, equality, and justice through the traditional framework of limited, representative government?"

To put this idea into more urgent terms, "How far can America pursue the Great Experiment without succumbing to the inherent, destructive tendencies of democracy?" Or, more bluntly and rhetorically, "Is America dying?"

6. FOR WHAT KIND OF AUDIENCE IS THIS ANALYSIS MOST APPROPRIATE?

This book is written for people who think seriously — beyond day-to-day politics and conventional liberal-conservative arguments — about the future of American democracy. Browder has presented his thesis in public lectures, classroom seminars, and public affairs programs to a wide variety of audiences in the Southeast, the West Coast, the Washington, DC, area, and even in Russia.

Because of its sobering and challenging message, he carefully adjusts presentations to the particular nature and sophistication of his audiences; but most concerned citizens, political activists, and public officials will be intrigued with the unique, creative and constructive ideas of The Future of American Democracy.

As one reviewer said, the book is a bit difficult for the general reader, "But it will repay the effort for anybody interested in our future as a free and democratic nation".

7. WHY IS THIS BOOK/MESSAGE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO ALABAMIANS AND CALIFORNIANS?

This book and its message should be especially interesting to Alabamians and Californians. In many ways, Alabama is stereotypically representative of "Traditional America"; and California is a contemporary, perhaps ominous, vision of "Emerging America".

In a chapter on "What America Might Look Like in 2050", Browder proposes that California is going through inevitable systemic challenges slightly ahead of the rest of the country; and Californians seem to be struggling — pretty distemperately — in that process. After assessing Golden State society, politics, government, and democracy as portentous embodiment of national democratic distemper, he concludes that California is experiencing increasing confrontation between popular forces and traditional governance; and he recommends that California should merge its direct democracy mechanisms (recall, initiative, referendum) and representational institutions more cooperatively and deliberatively.

Browder also generalizes that "The analogous dynamics of the contemporary California political system thus raise particularly tricky questions and provide some useful points of guidance about important developments — the delicate, difficult, dangerous interplay among diversity, divergence, dissentience, and democracy — in future America."

8. HOW DO "9-11" AND TERRORISM AFFECT AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, ACCORDING TO BROWDER'S ANALYSIS.

It is too early to assess the full impact of the September 11, 2001, "Attack on America" and the continuing threat of terrorism. Browder dismisses any thoughts that these events signal the "dying" of America; but these and similar incidents obviously will affect American democracy. While the current surge of patriotic fervor is likely to prove transient as time goes by, more serious consequences will ensue as America attempts to protect itself against domestic and international terrorism.

Besides the difficult restructuring of national defense and homeland security (and related budget challenges), the balancing of societal safety and civil rights in the face of significant terrorist activity greatly exacerbates philosophical debate about "what America means" and "how America ought to work"; and this contentious struggle could have systemic ramifications for our "Great Experiment".

Perhaps the safest and most positive prediction is that "9-11" and terrorism have rattled our national consciousness to the extent that we can now seriously reflect on the uncertain future of American democracy.

9. WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS, ACCORDING TO BROWDER'S THESIS, FOR DEMOCRATIZATION ENDEAVORS IN IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, AND OTHER CULTURES?

Essentially, Browder's analysis suggests that we be very careful and constrained in our attempts to export American democracy. America's original, open, natural environment and subsequent philosophical mindset provided very advantageous systemic conditions for a "national experiment in democratic ideals". These advantages allowed a diverse people to develop, over time, a limited, representative process of governance whereby we might collectively pursue — unevenly but progressively — our fuzzy notions of freedom, equality, and justice.

America's "Great Experiment" itself is a tricky and ever-changing endeavor; and attempting to transfer American democracy to less propitiously circumstanced areas and cultures of the world requires honorable but arrogant naïvete. In fact, any American efforts toward international democratization should be attempted cautiously in humble, limited, incremental fashion; and we must proceed on such ventures with extreme patience, hopefully some luck, and advance realization that we may not really like the outcome.

10. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY TELL US ABOUT CONTEMPORARY POLITICS IN AMERICA?

Browder's thesis depicts the traumatic 2000 presidential election as a critical juncture in the unfolding drama of American democracy, a point of balanced but transient contention between "Traditional America" and "Emerging America"; and he says that the next few elections may begin our fundamental transformation into "New America". In particular, the next few years may witness the triumph of centrifugal democracy (the unprecedented spinout of political power away from Washington in subcultural and neopopulist directions) and the exacerbating dynamics of demographic, economic, and technological change.

In other words, America stands at a point of historic destiny at which we are ready to move beyond the traditional, simplistic, mechanical politics of nationalized-but-disparate voting-bloc aggregation; and the winner will be whichever candidate/party can divine and articulate a compelling national message (about what America means and how America ought to work) in line with the irresistible forces of centrifugal democracy and changing political dynamics as elaborated in this unconventional analysis.

If neither side comprehends these developing transformations, Browder warns, then American politics will be a mindless, muddling, distempered continuation of Election 2000.

11. WHAT ARE BROWDER'S PREDICTIONS/PROJECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S GREAT EXPERIMENT?

To generalize broadly, Browder claims that America is indeed experiencing fundamental change and civic distemper of serious nature that raise questions about the future of American democracy; and he predicts several consequences (actually a mixture of predictions, projections, and personal observations). Systemically, he says, America of the future will operate in a fundamentally different, less propitious, and more challenging setting than has been the case in the past two centuries.

Culturally, "Traditional America" (an historically dominant white society, rooted in rural, small-town and middle regions, which subscribes to religious convictions, community values, and relatively conservative government) will yield to "Emerging America" (a growing, eclectic society of relatively liberal and historically disadvantaged citizens in urban and coastal areas who are inclined toward social diversity, moral tolerance, and activist government).

Politically, American democracy will never again work the way it has in the past. Simply by historical definition of our Great Experiment, unfolding demographic reality, and democratic destiny, American democracy will move in progressive directions; but it will have to accommodate the demands of centrifugal democracy and the technological revolution.

President George Bush has an opportunity to be a transformational leader at this critical juncture in American history; and if Mr. Bush, for whatever reason, fails to provide appropriate leadership, then his successor will inherit similar challenge and similar opportunity.

Finally, if we mindlessly proceed on our current course, the United States will become "The American Federation" by 2050.

12. WHAT DOES BROWDER RECOMMEND THAT AMERICA DO TO ENHANCE THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?

It is imperative, according to Browder, that the American people engage in immediate national dialogue on the future of our historic Great Experiment and that we begin adjusting that experiment to important and unsettling changes in contemporary America; and the 2004 elections provide an opportune venue for beginning the enhancement initiative. Ideally, one or more of the leading presidential candidates will call for fundamental debate and will commit to implementing a public forum on the future of American Democracy. Additionally (especially if no major presidential candidates or political parties take the lead), independent movements, civic foundations, academic associations, and the news media should begin such national dialogue.

As a practical beginning, Browder recommends the creation of an "American Democracy Commission" as a forum for national dialogue on the historic principles and procedures of American governance; more specifically, this Commission would reassess our concept of "national democratic ideals" and consider ways of increasing popular, responsible participation in the Great Experiment. Structurally, this Commission would be authorized, funded, and convened by the federal government; it would be representative/open to citizens (who are not public officials); and, term limited, it would report its findings and recommendations within a decade of its chartering date.

In keeping with his unconventional analysis, Browder recommends a series of functions and actions as American Democracy Commission mandates, including:

(a) A forum for discussion, from an historical perspective, of what it means to be a nation, what we mean by the term democratic ideals, and how we run our system of limited, representative governance; consequently, the forum would conduct analysis of contemporary changes that impact the traditional system of American democracy.

(b) Reassessment, within the realities of these systemic changes, of our traditional conception of national democratic ideals and consideration of alternative options. For example, we may want to define the essence of "nation" more clearly, precisely, and effectively as those principles that meet broad, consensual, universal criteria of the changing American nation; more pertinently, we should consider whether national democratic ideals might be defined more practically in accord with emerging, powerful, subcultural interests and forces.

(c) Experimentation with alternative representation that might encourage more popular, inclusive, direct, and responsible participation than is currently practiced. The traditional framework (the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of national, state, and local government) and the political machinery (political parties, the news media, and periodic elections) have had their chance; and perhaps they could use some help. Popular mechanisms of initiative, referendum, mediation, delegation, and deliberation arguably are all now possible and ready for inclusion in the American democratic endeavor.

(d) Implementing a trial run for assessing these alternative ideals and representational mechanisms.

(e) Officially reporting — based on national dialogue, reassessment, experimentation, and limited implementation — its recommendations to the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches of American government.

Eventually, if sufficiently successful, these alternative principles and processes could become functioning realities — with more than advisory standing — in American federal governance. Through either statutory or constitutional adjustment, the American nation could evolve its democratic ideals and perhaps institutionalize a fourth branch ("we the people) to its federal system of governance.

Browder's hope, then, is that we will take dramatic steps now to accommodate transformational changes in evolutionary keeping with the traditional nature of our Great Experiment (and that, in that process, we will enhance the Great Experiment instead of mindlessly transitioning to "The American Federation").

HERE'S WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT "THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY"

Leon Panetta (former White House Chief of Staff), book blurb 2002:

"Glen Browder's book is a wake-up call for our democracy. This nation was built on the principle that leadership would find the necessary consensus to advance the national interest. That principle has been lost in the current battles over power, parties and politics. This book challenges all of us to awake to the civil illness in our midst and restore the fundamental strength of our democracy."

Alan Ehrenhalt (Executive Editor, Governing), book blurb 2002:

"Glen Browder is one of a rare breed in American politics: He genuinely combines serious scholarship and a commitment to public service. Browder is one of the most thoughtful and practical critics of the governmental inertia that plagues us these days, and all of his recommendations are worth reading and paying attention to."

Dr. Larry Sabato (Director, University of Virginia's Center for Governmental Studies), book blurb 2002:

"Rare is the academic who combines theoretical knowledge with practicality. Glen Browder is such a person. In this remarkable book, he challenges every citizen, especially the young, to think anew about America's democracy. Students will love it!"

Chloe Albanesius (Reporter, Roll Call) October 11, 2001:

"Former Rep. Glen Browder (D-Ala.) is worried about the future of American democracy…. 'America is changing in important and unsettling ways. And we owe it to future generations to address these changes positively,' he said…. Browder purports that America is developing a fundamental civil illness and it is time for a Tocquevillian checkup of American democracy."

Dana Beyerle (Montgomery Bureau Chief, New York Times Regional Newspapers) February 1, 2003:

"In his book and in lectures around the country, Browder asks one question, 'Is America dying?' In asking his audiences to answer the question, Browder seeks to stimulate a national dialogue about America, including alternative scenarios and the possibility of a 'New America' that is segregated culturally, financially, politically, and racially."

Paul Rilling (former Executive Editor, The Anniston Star) March 23, 2003:

"Glen Browder has written a scary book…. The result is an interesting and unusual book, one well worth reading for anybody concerned about the state of our democratic system…. This book should shatter anyone's complacency about our political system."

Reagan Smith (FRN News Anchor and Host, "Florida Roundtable" on Florida's Radio Network) March 28, 2003:

"This is a thought-provoking book…an important read, a serious read, one you need to pay attention to."

Daniel Weintraub (Columnist, Sacramento Bee) September 28, 2003:

"When Glen Browder published his book last year on the uncertain future of American democracy, he had no idea that California was about to embark on a wild political experiment that would help prove his point.. While I don't agree with Browder's rather bleak view of the recall and its implications, I do think his deeper points about the electorate and California's role on the leading edge of democratic change are accurate."

Rosalea Barker (Columnist, "Stateside with Rosalea") October 8, 2003:

"If my poetic little foray into political analysis is not to your taste, a recent book by Glen Browder, former Alabama congressman, might give you pause for thought. In the Future of American Democracy, he offers what he calls an "unconventional analysis" and a "provocative assessment of distempered American democracy." He is not just a politico but also a scholar, so his views are being taken seriously in some quarters."

Dominguez Hills Dateline (California State University — Dominguez Hills) March 8, 2004:

"During the live, interactive panel event broadcast around the world via the Web and to as many as four million cable television viewers in California, a 300-strong contingent of primarily high school and college students filled the university Theatre to demonstrate that the debate over the future of American Democracy here in California and in the United States is alive and well ... Inspired by former U.S. Congressman Glen Browder's (D. Alabama,1989-1997) continuing examination of the future of American Democracy, the panel brought together a handful of divergent voices and opinions on the issue."

News Release for "It Matters!" Arts and Lectures Program (Sonoma State University — California) September 15, 2004:

"Browder was selected as a keynote speaker for the program because of his leadership in the national dialogue about the nature of democracy in these uncertain times. 'Debates about what direction our country chooses are critical for everyone in this country regardless of political orientation, race, gender, and class,' says Dr. David McCuan, Assistant Professor of Political Science at SSU. 'Dr. Browder's work pushes forward the discussion of civic governance in the U.S. and the consequences of the choices before us. These discussions are timely for all citizens during this critical election year.'"

Jared Allen (Reporter, Roll Call), July 11, 2005:

"An unsuccessful run for the Senate ended Rep. Glen Browder's (D-Ala.) professional political career in 1997, but it sure didn't take any wind out of his sails.

"After losing the Democratic primary to Roger Bedford, Browder, who represented Alabama's 3rd Congressional district in the House for eight years, went back to academia, the place where his career in politics originated more than 30 years ago — from 1971 to 1986, Browder taught political science at Jacksonville State University in Alabama.

"As far as he is concerned, though, his contribution to democracy carries as much weight from the classroom as it would have from the floor of the U.S. Senate.

"'I really got into politics because I believe in American democracy, and I thought I could contribute to the functioning of American democracy,' Browder said. 'So I never felt that I had to have a career in [Congress] to be happy.' Browder is now the eminent scholar in American democracy at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala., and a distinguished visiting professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He is also the author of 'The Future of American Democracy: A Former Congressman's Unconventional Analysis.' These roles allow Browder to devote his energy to 'encouraging a national discussion about the future of American democracy,' something he said he spent decades thinking about but is now his primary calling.

"'Jacksonville State University, fortunately, encourages me to discuss this, and to enhance this discussion in whatever forum is available,' Browder said.

"In addition to teaching, Browder has taken his discussion on the road, visiting colleges and high schools, as well as political science audiences, in Alabama, Washington, D.C., California and internationally."

For further information about The Future of American Democracy, contact Glen Browder directly at 256-782-5356 or browder@jsu.edu. Additional information and material also are available at www.futureofamericandemocracy.org.

This study guide may be copied and used freely for educational purposes by schools, institutions, and individuals without authorization. However, specific permission must be obtained from Dr. Browder for commercial reproduction or usage. Additional copies of this guide may be acquired from Browder directly or downloaded without charge from www.futureofamericandemocracy.org.

Glen Browder
Eminent Scholar in American Democracy
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville, AL 36265
Telephone: 256/782-5356
Email: browder@jsu.edu