Divided we fail. United we prevail . . .

This pathbreaking book tells how a new “transpartisan” politics works and why it is essential to solve challenges from public school and health policy reform to energy, the environment, and national security. For the 130 million registered independent and non-registered potential voters, the transpartisan agenda presents new ways of thinking that can bring the American people together at this crucial moment in our history.

“Listen to the media or our leaders and too often it will feel as if we are a deeply divided country. Yet we have vastly more in common than that which separates us. It is time for us to recognize our deep well of common interest and work together with respect and intelligence for our common good. Voice of the People speaks to this imperative. Read it and be part of the change.”

“Chickering and Turner want us to look at issues from a new perspective, develop new ways of talking about differences that may be more illusory than real, and come up with solutions that transcend the political and ideological divisions that so often prevent people of good-will from working together. Much of what they say is incredibly valuable; some of their conclusions will disturb readers on both sides of the ideological divide; and some may even seem naïve. But at least they’re trying to move us all to a better place. It’s a book worth reading, discussing, and pondering.”

David A. Keene, Chairman,

“Required reading for anyone frustrated by divisive, do-nothing politics (and who isn’t?)... I couldn’t agree more with Chickering and Turner’s prescription: to generate truly popular – and thus sustainable – reforms, governments have to put “the public” back into the public debate. So, call me a “transpartisan.”

“If the shrill partisan rhetoric of American politics has become poisonous, then this book is the best antidote. Read it and weep for what America has lost; then read it again and celebrate for what we can find – if only we heed this book’s timely advice.”

“Voice of the People is a pragmatic invitation to all Americans, regardless of political persuasion, to work together as citizens to solve the great challenges we face that transcend the current partisan divides. Turner and Chickering are essentially proposing that those of us who care about our country and the common good must see ourselves as the new transpartisans, beyond left and right, who can break this political stalemate.”

“The transpartisan movement has begun to move America beyond the stale partisan rhetoric and fixed bayonets of past arguments. Thereare ways to rephrase questions and look anew at old challenges thatunite Americans more than they divide us. Voice of the People highlights many of these new ways of looking at old challenges.

– Grover Norquist, conservative activist and

“I’ve spent most of my 40 years in politics on the Right because of my belief in limited government. However, I have recently been discovering that the old labels of left/right, liberal/conservative no longer apply. Common ground is being found through left/right coalitions on personal privacy issues, free market solutions to poverty, and even foreign policy. Read Voice of the People to learn how such integration can work”

“This book challenges our traditional, political boundaries and stereotypes and offers a road map to usher in a new era for citizen creativity and effectiveness. Kudos to Turner and Chickering for a new sound system for the voice of the people.”

– Robert Gass, Leadership coach, facilitator,

“Voice of the People provides a timely wake-up to all of us who are working to transform and humanize our public institutions.  The authors help us go beyond our stereotypes about “the other side” to see the rich tensions that live in each side and connect us in common concern for a caring democracy.  As an educator working to give students tools for crossing the divides, I was moved by the role they see for citizen engagement to rebuild trust and meaningful connection in our public life and offer creative solutions to some of our most pressing challenges.”

Founder, director The Passageworks Institute; author, “The Soul of Education: Helping Students find Connection, Compassion, and Character at School”

“In Voice of the People, Chickering and Turner have recognized the public’s disgust with partisan polarization and winner-take-all politics and the cost to the country. For all Americans who want to get beyond the labels, work from deeply held values and join hands to partner on solving the major social and economic issues of our day, Voice of the People is a breath of fresh air.”

– Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer

“In Voice of the People, Lawry Chickering and Jim Turner have made a vital contribution to a growing movement in America politics. It is a movement rooted in the wisdom of E Pluribus Unum – from many, one.  They eloquently advance the notion of citizens as partners with government, arguing that average Americans are a vast untapped resource seeking a means to contribute to economic and social progress. Millions of people from all points of view – left, right, and center – are waking up, linking up and seeking guidance about how to re-engage. Now they have a manifesto.” 

– Joseph McCormick

“Voice of the People is visionary for outlining steps to move us towards the next stage of political engagement... and it might actually work.  Chickering and Turner have outlined real world solutions in the midst of a conceptual paradigm shift.  As I read, I wanted to engage the authors in dialogue.  More importantly, I can’t wait to gather community members to begin a transpartisan dialogue about our local issues.”  

Community Activist, Fresno, CA; Political Leadership Coach

“Chickering and Turner turn our thinking upside down, challenging readers to think about issues from public school reform to foreign policy in new ways. At the heart of their analysis is a profound critique of mechanistic thinking that has dominated Western thought for at least three centuries. They present a powerful case for a new humanistic and spiritual politics based on empowering citizens both inside and outside the government. At a time when most people feel only despair about American politics, this book brings a strong source of new hope.”

“Turner and Chickering are not saying the right is wrong or the left is right, but that both left and right offer only partial ways of understanding and sustainably dealing with complex issues. The key to solving this conundrum is to transcend the limits of each and integrate their strengths. They also recognize that the so-called left and right do not include a new large “post-partisan” demographic which is now emerging and has yet to find a political home that truly expresses its interests.  This illuminating book also offers a fresh architecture and compelling interpersonal processes for dealing with the various, thorny challenges – political, economic, social, cultural, and spiritual – that we face as a nation.”  

President, American Conservative Defense Alliance; Chair, The Liberty Coalition

“Whatever happened to ‘We the People’? Whatever happened to the democratic side of our Democratic Republic? Voice of the People: The Transpartisan Imperative in American Life offers a series of simple, stunning, and profound answers to these important and timely questions. Voice of the People suggests a humanizing framework for bringing our democracy back to the American people and for bringing bold, out-of-the-box ideas into our national policy debates.”

Co-founder, The National Commons; Chair, The Transpartisan Center

“A highly constructive book—a powerful antidote to the insidious poison of partisan hatred that undermines the discussion and implementation of constructive solutions to our nation’s problems.”

“Two centuries ago, George Washington warned us of the perils of partisanship. Today we have the opportunity to heed his sage advice and create a new forum of ‘transpartisan’ politics that empowers citizens and respects differences as it distills unity out of diversity. This revolutionary and provocative essay shows us how. Read it at your own risk!”

“As America’s ruling establishment drives us ever downward to the mutual hatreds of partisan orthodoxies, Lawry Chickering and Jim Turner offer us a lifeline. They understand how our deep identity – shaped by a unique American religious nationalism – is today at risk. They witness the damage of conflicts within ourselves, and they testify to the heartfelt desire of ordinary Americans to reunite and feel together again. If anything, they are a sign – hopefully one of many! – that the people, aware of where we stand and what is at stake, can come together once more to renew American identity.”

Director, Center for the Study of Foreign Affairs, U.S. Department of State, 1988-1991
Author “Fighting Identity” (forthcoming)

“Voice of the People provides hope that the era of divisive politics in America may finally be ending.  Chickering and Turner invite us to think and talk and work together to confront our challenges. They provide both a way out of our polarization and a way in for many people to make a real contribution to the common good.”

“Voice of the People is an important, timely, often profound call for a more integral politics, in theory and in action.  It is the first step toward the creation of a political culture that heals rather than hurts, integrates rather than fragments, and unites rather than divides.  If its recommendations were actually put into action, we would see nothing less than a transformation of humanity itself.”

“Voice of the People: The Transpartisan Imperative in American Life provides real substance to the politics of hope and to reviving the dream of democracy we’ve carried with us from the days of our founders. Lawry Chickering and Jim Turner have given us a breathtakingly simple and doable blueprint for reclaiming our political system.”  

Former Oregon state representative; author,
“The Politics of Hope: Reviving the Dream of Democracy”