Disagree Better
America doesn’t need less disagreement—it needs better disagreement. These leaders and organizations are proving that we can hold opposing views while maintaining dignity. I’m proud to support their work.
Leaders Who Inspire Me
Governor Spencer Cox
Governor Cox has made political civility a cornerstone of his administration through his “Disagree Better” campaign. Launched in 2023 during his tenure as chair of the National Governors Association, the initiative encourages Americans to engage in healthy conflict without resorting to hate, contempt, or violence.
Cox has produced videos alongside Democratic governors like Colorado’s Jared Polis to model respectful disagreement—proving that leaders from opposing parties can find common ground while maintaining their principles.
I have a personal connection to Governor Cox—he went to law school with my brother. Watching his rise from local politics to national leadership on civility has been inspiring, and his work gave me courage to write a book that challenges both progressive and conservative orthodoxies.
Senator John Curtis
Senator Curtis aligns closely with the civility vision, often invoking the “Utah way” of “disagreeing better, not disagreeing less.” He emphasizes that compromise is foundational to American governance—echoing how the Constitution itself required it.
My connection here is also personal: my son worked for Congressman Curtis as an intern on Capitol Hill during college. I’ve watched Curtis bring that same pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach from the House to the United States Senate.
Curtis demonstrates that principled conservatism and civil discourse are not mutually exclusive—they’re complementary.
Organizations Leading the Movement
Braver Angels
Braver Angels is the largest grassroots, bipartisan depolarization organization in the United States. Founded in 2016 after the divisive presidential election, it now operates in all 50 states with more than 100 local alliances and thousands of trained volunteers.
What They Do:
- Red/Blue Workshops bring equal numbers of conservatives and liberals together to listen, reduce stereotyping, and find points of agreement
- Debates that model respectful disagreement
- Skills training for having difficult conversations
- “Braver Politics” initiative for election-year engagement
Why I Support Them: Utah has one of the strongest Braver Angels presences in the country, and Governor Cox has personally participated in their workshops. Their approach aligns with my book’s thesis: disagreement isn’t dysfunction—it’s how we discover better solutions.
The Dignity Index
The Dignity Index is an eight-point scale that scores political speech for the degree to which it treats opponents with basic human dignity—from 1 (contempt and dehumanization) to 8 (full dignity that invites the other side into shared humanity).
What They Do:
- Score speeches, social media posts, advertisements, and debates
- Provide tools for citizens to evaluate political rhetoric
- Partner with universities and civic organizations
- Offer training programs for leaders and organizations
Why I Support Them: Created in 2022 by Tami Pyfer, a longtime Utah civic leader and former staffer to Governor Cox, the Dignity Index has become the primary civility tool for Utah’s political leaders. Governor Cox regularly cites his own speeches’ scores and urges other elected officials to “score at least a 5.” My book, How Chaos Makes America Work, scores a 6.3 overall, with many chapters scoring a 7 out of 8.
The Dignity Index is based here in Utah and connected to the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics—making it a natural fit for my work.
No Labels
No Labels mobilizes centrists and independents who believe in “country over party.” They focus on pragmatic policy solutions and holding politicians accountable for constructive governance.
What They Do:
- “No Labels Academy” training for political engagement
- Policy development focused on bipartisan solutions
- Accountability projects tracking congressional cooperation
Bipartisan Policy Center
A Washington, D.C.-based think tank that actively promotes bipartisan solutions through research, negotiation, and policy development.
What They Do:
- Convene former officials from both parties
- Develop pragmatic policy recommendations
- Focus on governance, not just politics
Living Room Conversations
Provides structured guides for home dialogues across political divides. Their free conversation guides help ordinary Americans have respectful discussions on difficult topics.
Problem Solvers Caucus
A bipartisan group in the U.S. House of Representatives dedicated to forging compromise on key issues. They demonstrate that members of Congress can work across the aisle.
Why This Matters to Me
I wrote How Chaos Makes America Work because my own family spans the political spectrum. Our WhatsApp threads get heated. Thanksgiving requires ground rules.
But we’ve learned that disagreement doesn’t have to mean destruction. When we focus on evidence over emotion and frameworks over talking points, we can hold opposing views while maintaining love and respect.
That’s what these organizations are teaching America to do at scale.
My book argues that America’s “chaos” is actually a feature, not a bug—our federalism, mobility, and free speech enable us to experiment with solutions and discover what works. But that only functions if we can disagree productively.
Get Involved
Pick one organization and take action:
- Take the Dignity Pledge — Commit to treating political opponents with basic human dignity Take the Pledge →
- Attend a Braver Angels Workshop — Experience structured dialogue across divides Find a Workshop →
- Join the Common Sense American Community — Connect with 85,000+ citizens committed to civil discourse Join NICD →
- Host a Living Room Conversation — Use their free guides to start dialogue in your own home Get the Guides →
Want frameworks for bridging divides in your own life? My book How Chaos Makes America Work (Forbes Books, June 2026) offers tools for transforming disagreement into discovery.
Learn about the Book
