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The issues

What we're actually arguing about.

Each issue starts with what most Americans already agree on, then maps the disagreements with sources and questions for honest debate. Filter by topic; every entry is footnoted.

26+
issues mapped
so far
83%
average common
ground per issue
100%
primary-sourced
and footnoted
Last updated
May 2026
Next: AI governance · Tariffs
Reader's guide
How to read an issue.
01

Start with shared ground.

Every issue page opens with what most Americans agree on. Read this first — it reframes the rest.

02

Hear both perspectives.

We steelman both sides. If the strongest version of an argument surprises you, that's the point.

03

Check the evidence.

Every claim links to a primary source. Don't trust us. Check the footnotes.

Spotlight · This month
affordability

Affordability: Cost of Living & Housing

Addressing the rising costs of housing and everyday essentials that impact family budgets

Read the spotlight
93%
Common
ground
7%
real disagreement
6
primary sources
7 min
read time
01
Healthcare

Healthcare Access & Affordability

Examining the challenges Americans face accessing affordable, quality healthcare

89%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
02
Economy

Economic Opportunity & Job Stability

Creating pathways to financial security and meaningful work

89%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
03
Education

Education Quality & Accessibility

Ensuring all children have access to quality education

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
04
Affordability

Affordability: Cost of Living & Housing

Addressing the rising costs of housing and everyday essentials that impact family budgets

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
05
Civic Dialogue

Constructive Dialogue & Democratic Engagement

How we talk to each other matters: Communication, collaboration, compromise, and making your case

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
06
Government

Electoral Reform & Voting Systems

Exploring ranked choice voting and electoral reforms to reduce polarization and increase representation

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
07
Government

Beyond Binary Politics: The Two-Party Trap

How the Democrat-Republican duopoly creates divisiveness and discourages nuanced thinking

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
08
Civic Dialogue

The Power of Individual Participation

Why individual citizens must engage in democracy—or corporations and special interests will fill the void

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
09
Government

Immigration Reform

Border security, legal immigration pathways, and addressing the status of undocumented immigrants

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
10
Government

Climate Change & Environmental Protection

Addressing climate change, protecting natural resources, and balancing environmental and economic concerns

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
11
Public Safety

Gun Rights & Gun Safety

Balancing Second Amendment rights with public safety and reducing gun violence

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
12
Healthcare

Reproductive Rights & Abortion

Abortion access, reproductive healthcare, and the balance between different values and rights

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
13
Economy

Federal Budget & National Debt

Managing government spending, the federal deficit, and long-term fiscal sustainability

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
14
Public Safety

Crime & Public Safety

Addressing violent crime, property crime, policing reform, and community safety

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
15
Government

Foreign Policy & National Security

America's role in the world, defense spending, and relationships with allies and adversaries

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
16
Government

AI, Deepfakes & the Crisis of Truth

How artificial intelligence is making it impossible to know what's real online—and what we can do about it

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
17
Civic Dialogue

Faith and Politics

Balancing religious freedom with pluralistic democracy—respecting the role of faith in public life while protecting everyone's rights.

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
18
Government

Greenland & U.S. Territorial Expansion

The Trump administration's push to acquire Greenland has driven an ongoing diplomatic crisis with Denmark and a debate about American territorial ambitions

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
19
Government

Venezuela After Maduro: U.S. Intervention & Transition

The U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 and Venezuela's contested transition reopen long-standing debates about American intervention abroad

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
20
Economy

Tariffs & Trade Policy

The Trump administration's tariff agenda has reshaped U.S. trade policy and prompted debate over its impact on prices, manufacturing, and alliances

95%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
21
Government

Federal Workforce & Government Restructuring

The 2025 Department of Government Efficiency push to shrink and restructure the federal workforce has reignited debate about the size, expertise, and accountability of the federal government

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
22
Government

Birthright Citizenship & the 14th Amendment

The Trump administration's executive order to limit birthright citizenship has triggered one of the most consequential constitutional cases of the decade

89%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
23
Economy

Social Security & Medicare Solvency

Social Security and Medicare trust funds face insolvency in the next decade unless Congress acts—forcing hard choices about taxes, benefits, and the social contract

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
24
Public Safety

Fentanyl, the Overdose Crisis & Cartels

Fentanyl has driven the deadliest overdose crisis in American history and reshaped debates over drug policy, border enforcement, and U.S. action against Mexican cartels

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
25
Government

AI Governance & Regulation

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the economy, national security, and daily life faster than government can write rules—forcing hard choices about how, and how much, to regulate

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
26
Education

Higher Education, Federal Funding & DEI

The 2025 federal funding fights with major universities, antisemitism investigations, and broad rollback of DEI programs have reopened debate about the relationship between Washington and U.S. higher education

93%
common
ground
Read the breakdown
Researching next
What's coming.

These are the issues currently in research. Have one you want us to add? Tell us — readers shape the docket.

  • Jun 2026
    AI Governance & Regulation
    Polling aggregation in progress
  • Jun 2026
    Tariffs & Trade Policy
    Source review
  • Jul 2026
    Social Security Solvency
    Drafting
  • Jul 2026
    Faith and Politics
    Reader-requested
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