What We’re Watching
With so much going on, it is understandable for people to feel news whiplash. To help our partners stay focused and find the signal in the noise, we are happy to share what we are tracking this month:
The Main Point: American public life feels increasingly combustible. This month’s events show how quickly political actors can escalate conflict and how essential it is for civic and faith leaders to pause, reflect, and model constructive engagement, even when the temperature rises.
Some Examples:
Escalating Political Rhetoric: The President has accused Democrats of “seditious behavior”, endorsing violence in response, over a video Democratic lawmakers released directed at service members urging them "to refuse illegal orders". Experts argue that rhetoric that frames violence in political or patriotic terms can make political violence more likely, a violation of our fourth Democracy Principle rejecting political violence.
New York Mayoral Election Sparks Reflection Across the Jewish Community: Zohran Mamdani was elected to be New York City’s next mayor after a contentious race that exposed major divisions within and beyond the Jewish community. The election has prompted intense reflection about how our faith leaders engage in electoral politics. In a recent op-ed, A More Perfect Union Executive Director Aaron Dorfman explores how rabbinic endorsements can come with costs.
Government Shutdown Ends: After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended this month. The standoff, which reduced critical services for millions of Americans, highlighted how core government functions, and the people who rely on them, have become bargaining chips in an ongoing partisan conflict. During the shutdown, local organizations stepped up to fill in the gaps in federal funding and services, underscoring the power of civil society to spark civic renewal.
Why it matters: In a moment when polarization can fuel threats, intimidation, and even violence, our communities must champion a consistent, principled stance: violence and calls for violence are unacceptable, no matter who they come from or who they target. We need to re-develop the muscles to slow down, calmly analyze events, pick the battles that matter most, and employ effective strategies that build consensus towards productive resolutions.
Read more from the What We’re Watching archives:
