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Many Americans worry that our country is hopelessly divided — that we lack even the most basic common experiences, beliefs, or traditions, resulting in a society devoid of empathy and factions unable to work together in our republic. One idea to address this critical challenge is gaining momentum, including increasingly getting mentioned on the 2020 campaign trail: making a national service — a year or more of paid civilian, military, or public service — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans. Learn how this idea, which was incubated at the Aspen Institute, could be the potent cohesive force our democracy so badly needs.
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USA



The US House of Representatives will vote later this month on whether to admit Washington, DC as the 51st state. The mayor of DC talks about the vote.







Voting rights are under assault in America. More than 250 bills that would restrict access to voting are pending in 43 states.



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In a time of heightened distrust, how can media outlets reclaim the public’s confidence? We hear from a longtime journalist.





The idea of unity is a compassionate, hopeful aspiration for a country ravaged by a global pandemic, racial injustice, economic downturn and mob violence.



Two weeks before the first woman of color became Vice President, an angry mob that included members of the white supremacist group Proud Boys, stormed the US Capitol. As Ibram...

Biden believes deeply that actions like the January 6th violence at the Capitol are not who we want to be as a country, says Evan Osnos, author of a Biden biography.





