Our Joint Ownership of Government
Our Talking about Government research suggests that our communications should speak to the collective – rather than individual—responsibility and ownership of government. Using pronouns that acknowledge our joint ownership of government help to do this. We recommend saying “us” and “we” when referring to government and talking about “our government,” “our quality of life,” and “our common good.” Also in our research, we found that Americans are interested in exercising their role as responsible citizens. They want to engage in long-term problem-solving and to offer their views. Our communications should highlight how this is possible by talking about the ways that citizens, businesses and government can work together to solve problems.
The Citizens’ Guide to a Strong Economy speaks to the need for Wisconsinites to work together.