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  • So Many Election Anxieties, So Little Time

    Election season can be overwhelming. No matter how you’re voting, it’s very likely you’re wishing these next few days were going by faster, much like kids wishing summer break would hurry up and arrive. However, with less than a week left until election day, many people are feeling anxious about the outcome instead of excited. Some experts consider election anxiety a public health concern. UC Berkeley’s researchers say 7 out of 10 adults are experiencing anxiety about the future because of the election. Policy concerns are a major cause for election anxiety, all of which can feel out of the average voter’s control. According to the Pew Research Center, US residents are most concerned about the economy, immigration, healthcare and foreign policy. Some of these issues feel personal while others seem completely out of reach. Whether individuals feel too far removed from a policy decision or uninformed, people often rely on candidates to represent their opinions. Americans feel their representatives should be trusted to vote in alignment with a person’s priorities, as a function of the democracy this nation was founded with. But what happens when a candidate has views that don’t all align with your policy preferences? Or no candidate feels like a good fit to represent you? What happens when you’re not in a fandom for either party’s candidate? Since there is a connection between feeling more control and alleviating anxiety, feeling heard by representatives could help residents cope with election season. That’s one of the reasons Pinion thinks the ability to directly tell legislators about policy priorities is so vital in today’s political climate. Pinion is creating a way to directly practice democracy which will help better inform policy while making Americans feel more connected to the process. Come join the movement to directly impact how governance gets done with Pinion. Get Engaged!

  • Voting For Your Wallet

    “How can you get ‘involved’ in a way that impacts your wallet?” If you’re just making ends meet, living paycheck to paycheck, it does not have to be that way. While the US has always been a capitalist economic system, there was a time when wages were closer to the cost of living. There was a time where our officials had the gaps between cost of living, wages, and inflation on their radar. Now, that gap is further than it’s ever been. According to the Harvard Business Review , inflation is when prices rise across an economy — when your dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to. HBR mentions there can be a variety of causes; however, as former Fed chair Ben Bernanke put it — it boils down to when the aggregate quantity of goods demanded at a particular price is higher than the available quantity of goods at that price level. Basically, many Americans want a certain amount of bread at a certain price, and there’s only so much bread in the country available at that price, so eventually their ‘want’ for bread at that price exceeds what’s available, and the price goes up. But it’s not just bread — it’s a a lot of things and it goes up across the country and irrespective of what you make and can afford for living costs. And while inflation is rising, it isn’t matching minimum wage or unemployment standards. If you’ve ever been unemployed, you’ve wondered how the unemployment formula, which doesn’t account for inflation, can meet your basic needs, while searching for the job that will then have an income that sustains you. Similarly, if minimum wage doesn’t account for inflation, even employed people cannot meet their basic needs. Not increasing wages in conjunction with inflation leads to American working class debt, disenfranchisement, and homelessness. So all this sounds theoretical, and even if it’s really happening, how is it even close to me in any way? Well, labor regulations, minimum wage, unemployment, and your national, state, and local budgets are ALL impacted by inflation. So you might be asking yourself, how can you get ‘involved’ in a way that impacts your wallet? How does anything I do make a difference? Pinion wants to improve the lives of working class people through civic engagement that leads to better policy for everyone. Making your voice heard with the swipe of a touch screen or the click of a mouse. And with enough of our voices heard — our representatives will have to translate their listening to action. Every time you vote on Pinion for a spending bill, minimum wage, price gouging, housing, healthcare, anything that affects the cost of living, you are sending a reminder to your representatives: I’m still here, and this gap keeps widening for me and my family. If you don’t take my cost of living into account, I won’t take you into account when I go to the voting booth. Get Engaged!

  • Back to School, Back to Basic Engagement

    How can we encourage civic education? Recently, back-to-school season has Pinion community members inspired to discuss civic education. In a country where civic education is at best sporadic and at worst, skipped over, we are wondering how we improve it and how much it makes a difference. Will Gen Z still show up at the polls, even if they never had a civics class? It turns out, civic education is bigger than just learning about voting, and some of voting history. While it helps people understand their rights as members of the greater community and the basics of democracy, including their local and national government structures, this corner of education also promotes community relationships, improves outcomes for the underprivileged, and leads to better governance and health outcomes. Civic participation such as volunteering, field trips or guest speakers from local leaders and activists, can also increase community service in adulthood, reduce unemployment, and help students gain higher-order skills. Research has shown that youth engagement like student government and mock elections can lead to improved academic performance and social-emotional well-being. Some studies even find students who have to be resourceful in extracurricular activities, especially in yearbook, are more likely to be civically engaged later in life, participating in public discourse and decision-making, and contribute to the betterment of society. But these education opportunities cost money and many school districts are already struggling to make ends meet. So after they’ve asked teachers to volunteer as advisors to extracurriculars and exhausted other resources, they will need new resources and new ways to share civic engagement with students. Pinion has been building new ways to expand the civic discourse. We’re building voting records that are easily viewable, increasing transparency in an already complicated political landscape. The Pinion platform takes young voters into the heart of civic performance, the crafting and passing of legislation, and provides the opportunity for them to vote on the same bills their elected officials are voting on, allowing young people to take part in policy shaping by easily sharing opinions on important legislation. Creating more chances and more access to civic engagement will open doors for students and adults alike. Both groups can access the platform from their personal devices, and engage in commentary about what matters most to them, highlighting the perspectives and concerns of all generations. This information will inform a more nuanced policy discussion, addressing residents concerns from more angles and better serving the US population in the long run. Get Engaged!

  • An Opportunity to Get Engaged

    “The election makes me feel so small and disconnected from the process.” Vice President Kamala Harris raised $200 million in the week following President Joe Biden announcing he was leaving the presidential race. And according to the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v FEC , that’s 200 million “free speech signals” in support of her candidacy. Former President Donald Trump raised an average of $27.5 million a week during this election cycle, which is 27.5 million signals of support for him, especially on the heels of the attempt on his life. The outpouring of support for both presidential hopefuls has been incredible as people and groups make their desire for representation known by voting with their wallets.Some of that money comes from PACs, groups of donators that don’t have to reveal any identifying information about themselves, their values or intentions. Other donations come from special interest groups or very rich individuals. And importantly, many much smaller donations come from individuals. But for those that can’t donate or feel like their donation doesn’t matter, those numbers can feel overwhelming. And disenfranchising. So how does an individual impact politics without a lot of money to donate? How does someone with strong opinions about this election heartily stand behind their intended leader? Many people have taken to social media, posting their support with hashtags and joining groups that have popped up over night. However, it’s hard to know if candidates actually see this support. Soon, you and your fellow constituents will have a new analytical power to help you usefully engage with impact and without money. Pinion users will be able to research the candidate’s voting records and see how well they align with your own records, for the exact same legislation. Imagine being able to go to the polls, armed with analytics, based on real data, that HELPS YOU VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE THAT HAS BEEN VOTING WITH YOU! All regardless of their party, gender, race, or other consideration. That’s what we call healthy democracy. Pinion was built to amplify individuals’ voices about all things policy and legislation. Whether it’s supporting a lawmaker or condemning a proposed law, Pinion translates public opinion into public policy. Our platform offers a two-way transparency between legislators and constituents, telling average Americans how representatives vote while clearly indicating what policy citizens want to see from their elected officials. These updates will be part of our next major product update, scheduled for early Fall. We look forward to sharing these innovations with you, letting you engage, and hearing your feedback! Get Engaged!

  • Creating an alternative to election anxiety

    This week was the first Presidential Debate of the 2024 election. Much like 2016’s and 2020’s debates, a lot of opinions came out of it but for us, it didn’t feel like enough time was dedicated to seriously considering important governing concepts, especially legislation. We at Pinion know that Presidents don’t make legislation, but they do have a lot of influence on it. We also know that the US was built as a democratic republic, with democracy at the forefront of a government “by the people, for the people”. And Thursday didn’t center the people so much as it centered… golf and insults. Since golf isn’t our thing and insults don’t seem to solve the important, thorny problems our country is facing we think its more important than ever to harness a system where everyone can have a voice. Because we also recognize this is an important moment in the US’s history, which is why we want to bring an easy-to-use system to the people. If taxes, immigration, abortion or the economy are important to you, it can feel pretty daunting to watch powerful people talk about topics you don’t feel you have influence over. A big part of Pinion’s mission is to change that feeling. A lot of Pinion’s staff have deep policy backgrounds and we still feel overwhelmed sometimes. To that end, we threw a debate party so people could vote along on the issues that matter to them on the Pinion platform and we could all watch it together. We believe the antidote to frustration, name-calling and election anxiety is community and action. We use the platform to vote, to let legislators know what matters to us, and to know what matters to them through their voting records. And we urge you to do the same. Our tag line is Get Engaged! Because we believe being engaged, however small and easily, makes our democracy more representative, more transparent and better overall. We’ll see you on the platform and we’ll see you at the next debate. Get Engaged!

  • Pinion turns up the volume on money in politics

    Money may not be the root of all evil, but it sure is the source of a lot of political frustration for the general public. Like most of us, governments have to budget so they have money for the things that matter most. And much like individual people, they have to decide which bills get paid first. So as the new fiscal year approaches for many states, they’ve begun to review their money diaries. And that means spending money on social programs, education and infrastructure. While some government sectors have inflexible amounts attached to them, like California’s required education spending, other areas have more wiggle room. Each government can decide to put its pocket change towards the things that matter most to it, like Florida’s senior public healthcare expenditures. There are entire political theories about how paying the most important entitlements would change the way democracies are governed. However, the frustrating part about government spending is it often reflects the politicians’ priorities more than their constituents. The federal government has lived through several moments where its choices have displeased the public, whether that’s letting National Parks get littered and damaged following a budget-based shutdown or passing foreign aid packages voters don’t feel represent their desired outcomes. We tend to understand that you can’t please all the people all of the time. Yet it becomes more frustrating when you look at campaign spending. And despite the endless appeals waiting in your inbox to “Donate Now”, only a handful of billionaires will be funding the majority of large donations in the 2024 campaign, according to Reuters. In an attempt to follow the money, many ideas and tools have emerged to better represent US residents’ wants, like ranked-choice voting, organizations that trace election funding, and direct vote propositions. However, those are hard to understand and only make opinion sharing available during elections. At Pinion, we’ve created a platform designed to let you and your fellow residents tell legislators your priorities, consistently, on the significant legislation that will spend your tax dollars, right from your personal device. Pinion is a voting platform, that empowers you to express your legislative priorities, directly to the legislators. Then, if it’s important to you, you can share your vote across your social accounts. By building the site , we’re transforming civic engagement to make it easy, engaging, and empowering for everyone to… Get Engaged!

  • Civic Social Media

    What happens when a public forum gets banned or changed in some way? Social media has become where we share all our thoughts: from what we ate today, words of encouragement for loved ones, funny cat videos for your best friend, or opinions on news, the arts, and yes…politics. Before 2016, calling, writing and watching politicians’ debates had its own set of spaces and mediums, but now a meme is just as powerful as an email or press release. And while each platform has its own personality and audience, the social media ecosystem has become an important forum for sharing important things. It’s far easier to share a comment from a lawmaker or quote their post than it is to email them in support, or opposition of, legislation that gets you fired up. And we like easy. Posting commentary on any of the platforms can spark debate, opening the door for people to comment, share, or create new content from the original discussion. These spaces have become quasi-town squares, loose forums for free expression, discussion, and some occasionally ugly behavior. So what happens when one of those forums gets banned or changed in some way? When Twitter shifted to X, many users left the platform and for those who stayed, it became an entirely different space. Similar apps have popped up to try to replace the global town square, but nothing has really fit the bill.Now the mighty TikTok, known for fun videos and commentary couched in catchy choreography, is under threat of ban. People are asking themselves how they will continue to easily share their opinions and read simple explainers of challenging topics like social media censorship laws. At Pinion, we are working to lead a new movement focused on the especially important arena of civic engagement and healthy democracy. Pinion is a movement and platform where the ways we communicate our priorities to legislators become shorter and simpler, making the act of informing lawmakers of our priorities easier while letting our community voice the change we want to see. Pinion is creating THE PLACE to share legislation and influence it. Each person will be able to read straightforward summaries of legislation they find vital, then directly inform the powers that be whether or not the bill fits…in seconds. Unlike all the other platforms, Pinion was designed from the ground up to enable a new paradigm in civic engagement, because that freedom is worthy of its own special place. Without such freedom and dedicated space to directly express our legislative opinions to our representative, how can we seriously expect to participate in the modern democratic process. How does our democracy express a clear representation of its people? Most Americans use social media daily. Isn’t it time to put our commentary in front of eyes that can forge the changes WE want and support the priorities WE do? PINION…Get Engaged! Written by: Scott Pierce, Founder of Pinion

  • Why We Need Pinion

    It’s no secret that our modern politics are broken. Today’s political-media circus has become a 24/7/365 money making machine. Social media platforms promote negative and polarizing content because it’s more likely to go viral — and virality sells. According to Pew Research Center , 8 out of 10 Americans feel negatively about US politics. Trust in our democracy is at an all-time low. Voters have lost hope that their vote has any impact, and they’re not wrong. This brief video from Represent.us summarizes a 2014 Princeton Study that investigated the relationship between public opinion and legislative outcomes in Congress. The bottom line: “The preferences of the average American appear to have only a miniscule, near zero, statistically insignificant impact upon public policy”. Not good! What’s causing the disconnect? Beyond the media circus keeping us distracted, the simple reason is poor transparency, especially regarding how your representatives vote on topics you really care about. Want to find the answers? Here’s Google and good luck with that! Today’s civic engagement options are indirect, they feel ineffective and just too hard. Call my Senator? Really? Who has time for that? How will Pinion transform civic engagement? Pinion is designed to let you engage easily , so you can get on with life. We focus on the only thing that really matters, legislation. It’s legislation that creates our future — that sets public policy, updates laws, allocates funding and directs resources. Legislation impacts your rights, your community, your future. Pinion purposefully avoids the drama and spin of politics. Instead, we directly connect you to pending legislation your local, state, and national legislatures are considering.Pinion’s idea is simple. Enable you to easily find and vote on the same legislative proposals that your representatives are considering, letting them know where you stand before they vote. Pinion tracks the results to show exactly how well your representatives are voting with you, or not. It also tracks the candidates running to replace the incumbents so you can easily see who best aligns with your policy goals. Pinion is designed to help governments improve their civic engagement game. Our vision is higher satisfaction of constituents and communities with their representation at all levels. Yes, even Congress! Pinion enables elected leaders to share their planned votes and reasoning with their constituents, then receive useful feedback and consider public opinion before casting their official vote. Everyone deserves democracy that works. Pinion is creating a civic engagement platform to engage constituents and generate feedback in real time, connecting leaders to how their community feels and demographic insights to align diverse communities and build shared consensus. The primary function of a healthy democracy is to translate public opinion into public policy. Pinion is designed for the mission of transforming civic engagement — making it easy, engaging, and enlightening. With your support, a new paradigm of civic engagement can take hold for both citizens and their representatives. PINION…Get Engaged!

  • Transforming Civic Engagement

    “I can’t believe that doesn’t already exist.” This is the response I usually hear when I introduce people to Pinion. In an era where we can effortlessly connect with individuals across the globe and access information beyond our grandparents’ imagination, there’s still a gap in empowering citizens to actively engage with their government. Let’s imagine the following: Easily voting on the same issues as your representatives and tracking progress. Transparent comparison of voting records in a few clicks, so you can vote for candidates that vote with you. Seamlessly sharing your vote on important topics you care about to inspire others. Customer satisfaction of citizens with their government and representation improved. Welcome to Pinion! It’s a simple concept really. We believe you should be able to easily find and vote on the issues you care about. As a result, your elected officials should be able to easily see how the people they represent voted. By displaying the voting results of constituents, Pinion equips elected officials with analytical insights to better respond to concerns and foster consensus. It also makes it challenging for them to disregard public opinion when transparency is amplified. Share your “Pinion” (your vote) on social media to inspire others and see their votes. Or opt for complete privacy, knowing your vote is still counted and your voice heard. Our customers, governments at all levels, now have an accessible, engaging, and user-friendly way to connect with you, enhancing satisfaction for all constituents. Pinion will transform civic engagement — making it easier, faster, more interesting, and universal. Our value proposition lives in the improved communication between constituents and their local, state, and national legislatures. To realize this vision, we’re crafting a new platform designed for civic engagement. Your support and feedback are instrumental in achieving this vision. Sign up to join our community , participate in our private beta, and shape the future of a civically engaged democracy. Get Engaged!

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