SECOND CONFERENCE ON DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA

“A Trans-Partisan Leadership Retreat”

Gold Lake Mountain Resort and Spa, Ward, Colorado

December 1-4, 2005

RETREAT PURPOSE                      

According to Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835 author of Democracy in America, political and civil associations are the guarantors of freedom in a democracy.  The three day gathering December 1-4 among leaders of national political and civil associations -- approximately 1/3 generally perceived to be left of center, 1/3 generally perceived to be right of center, and 1/3 generally perceived to be unaligned -- was intended to build bridges of trust, respect and communication by engaging in facilitated dialogue about the values that unite us as Americans, and areas of mutual concern and potential transpartisan cooperation. 

PARTICIPANTS (representing over 70 million Americans)

John Rother, Director of Policy and Strategy, AARP

Robert Spanogle, National Adjutant, American Legion

Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform

Betsy Taylor, President, Center for a New American Dream

Roberta Combs, President, Christian Coalition

Ana Micka, President, Citizens for Health

Dave Keating, Executive Director, Club for Growth

Chellie Pingree, President, Common Cause

Joseph McCormick, Co-founder, Democracy in America Project

Pat Spino, Co-founder, Democracy in America Project

Irma Herrera, Executive Director, Equal Rights Advocates

Tom Beech, President, Fetzer Institute

William Ury, Director, Global Negotiation Project, Harvard Law School

Cheryl Graeve, Senior Director, Membership, League of Woman Voters

Michael Ostrolenk, Founder, Liberty Coalition

Mark Gerzon, President, Mediators Foundation

Scott Heiferman, Co-Founder, Meetup.com

Joan Blades, Co-Founder, MoveOn.org

Ahmed Younis, Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council

Brenda Girton-Mitchell, Assoc. General Secretary, National Council of Churches USA

Susan Hackley, Managing Director, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School

Robert Fersh, Executive Director, Search for Common Ground USA

Maggie Fox, Deputy Executive Director, Sierra Club

Drew Bond, President, Townhall.com

John Steiner, Transpartisan networker

Reflections on the retreat by Mark Gerzon, Dan Wheeler