[U]SA Ep. 2: Nick Coccoma from Assemble America (Part 1.)

Hi Founding Citizens,

*please excuse the audio/video delay in the latter half of the video. I am still working out the kinks of online podcast recording!*

I’m happy to share the 2nd podcast episode of [Undetermined] States of America. In this episode we are joined by Nick Coccoma, founder and executive director of Assemble America. I want to just share that I feel so impressed and aligned with Assemble America. It is one of the most well put-together orgs I have come across in this space and I believe it’s relatively young. I highly encourage you to sign up for their newsletter and get involved with the org if you feel called.

Nick is also one of the most well-read people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and, because he has a background in teaching, I think does an exceptional job at explaining the history and concepts behind deliberative democracy and the sortition movement. I’m really excited to share that there will be a part two to this episode that we’ll be recording in the coming weeks because there’s just so much ground to cover and Nick has so much knowledge to share on this topic.

I’m also really excited to share that I’ll be hosting Nick and my previous podcast guest, Phil Lindsay, for an in-person event in Manhattan next Saturday, July 19th, at the Francis Kite Club in the East Village. Please join us if you can make it! Please enjoy this episode and keep your eyes out for our second interview soon.

Chapters of this episode:

1. Nick's Personal Journey: Nick shares his upbringing in a legal household, his exposure to jury trials, and how these experiences influenced his views on democracy and governance.

2. Democracy and Citizens' Assemblies: Explore the concept of citizens' assemblies, their historical roots, and how they can address current democratic challenges by involving everyday people in decision-making.

3. Historical Context of Democracy: Nick provides a historical overview of democracy, discussing ancient Athens, the American founding, and the evolution of democratic and republican ideas.

4. Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Democracy: We touch on the current state of democracy in the U.S., the influence of money and special interests, and the potential for citizens' assemblies to revitalize democratic processes.

5. Assemble America's Goals and Strategies: Nick outlines the goals of Assemble America, including establishing permanent citizens' assemblies at the state level and advocating for a constitutional convention led by citizens.

6. The Role of Deliberative Democracy: We explore how deliberative democracy can lead to more informed and inclusive decision-making, contrasting it with the limitations of electoral democracy.

Until next time!

Colin

Steward of [U]SA