Oprah Winfrey made big news late last year when she decided to make her first-ever political endorsement. It remains to be seen what sort of impact that endorsement will have, but some observers are already suggesting that Winfrey could create a much broader, lasting legacy if she chooses to lend her name and clout to small-d democracy and the idea that, in order for our nation to survive, we must all do more than vote.
Writing recently at his nonpartisan "Redeeming Hope" blog, Rich Harwood of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation said:
I urge you to kick off a national discussion on politics and public life. It doesn't have to be abstract and boring. Instead, it should focus on how each of us can engage and connect with one another in daily life. You could even focus on a single book that people could read together. Imagine if the 30,000 people who gathered in the South Carolina stadium ... week were invited to grab a book, start reading, and start talking to one another - and with their fellow citizens across the nation.