About UsWe believe that we share common goals as a people. We all want to live in safe communities with access to well-paid jobs that will allow us to provide for our families, help us secure a decent education for our children, and allow us to access adequate health care. We call upon the American people to transcend the hyper-partisanship that is so common today and move toward organizing communities around the mutual desire for ongoing, responsible civic engagement.We understand that we must act boldly to not only break the cycle of corruption, but also recommit to the concept of a government of, by and for the people. We are the government. The government is us. We want to fix the problems in our government, not turn against the idea of government.Coffee Party USACPUSA_8a4135be-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f52354Coffee Party USA is a grassroots, non-partisan movement that aims to restore the principles and spirit of democracy in America. It started on Facebook as a popular fan page in January 2010 and has since blossomed into a national non-profit organization with a network of over half a million people and dozens of local chapters.Coffee Party USA Board of DirectorsOur Board of Directors meets weekly, via teleconference.Eric Byler (Colorado) PresidentEgberto Willies(Texas) Director, Campaigns & ActionsJohn Cashon(Kentucky)Secretary Jeanene Louden (Oregon)TreasurerJustin Brown (Illinois) Director, Internet InfrastructurCameron Kruger (New Jersey)Director, DevelopmentDelAnn Williams (Illinois)Director, Pathways to ParticipationDan Aaronson (Oregon) Director, At-LargeMichael CharneyDirector, At-LargeCoffee Party USA Advisory BoardAnnabel ParkElisa BatistaRobert ChangFrances Moore LappeJaime LaurieCoffee Party USA envisions a nation of diverse communities sharing a culture of informed public engagement where our sacred right to vote is the only currency of our democracy._8a413816-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f52354Building, nurturing, and connecting communities to reclaim our government for the people._8a413910-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f52354CommitmentCivility Pledge -- As a member or supporter of the Coffee Party, I pledge to conduct myself in a way that is civil, honest, and respectful toward people with whom I disagree. I value people from different cultures, I value people with different ideas, and I value and cherish the democratic process.CivilityWe empathize and engage with one another exercising humility, listening, honesty and respect, in order to provide an emotionally safe environment even when we disagree.Continuous LearningWe seek the truth, learn the facts, and share with others to make informed decisions relevant to the ongoing improvement of ourselves, the nation and our shared, overlapping lives.AuthenticityAuthenticity & Transparency - Because we are human, in our genuine quest for democracy we may stumble, but we will do so in plain sight, with trust and expecting a hand up from one another.TransparencyIntegrityIntegrity & Clarity - We say what we mean, and do what we say and in so doing we strive to create a country that is whole and undiminished.ClarityInclusivenessWe reach out, engage and connect with people from diverse communities, backgrounds, cultures and political perspectives.TranspartisanshipTranspartisan / Independence -We engage in political and social bridge-building for the sake of finding solutions to common problems, working above and beyond ideological dogmas, putting the country first.IndependenceEngagementWe need more – in quantity and quality – direct engagement with our government officials and with one another. ParticipationParticipating in our democracy should not be about just voting every 2 to 4 years – relying only on what appears in mainstream media and in campaign ads – and then hoping for the best. AccountabilityWe need to engage the government in a way that promotes accountability to the public, transparency, and the spirit of E Pluribus Unum (out of many voices, one).E Pluribus UnumLegislationIdentify and advocate for legislative fixes to reform campaign finance laws, Wall Street regulations, and the tax code._8a4139ba-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f523541_8a413ac8-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f52354Cultural ChangePromote cultural changes to address political disengagement, polarization and widespread misinformation._8a413b9a-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f523542Our activities often center around encouraging inclusive, civil, fact-based, solution-oriented dialogue — online and in public places such as coffee houses — in which we meet, talk, become informed and engaged as fellow Americans, rather than as members of political parties._8a413c62-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f52354Civic EngagementCreate effective civic engagement opportunities._8a413d70-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f523543We need to create effective civic engagement opportunities by:Official ActivitiesDemand more officially sanctioned activities._8a413e42-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f523543.1Public OfficialsDemanding more officially sanctioned activities such as town hall meetings with officials and public reviews of policies with an invitation for public comments ...Community MeetingsOrganize community meetings._8a413f1e-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f523543.2AmericansCommunities in AmericaOrganizing informal community meetings in which we invite fellow Americans to exchange ideas.DebatingUse Internet communications, social networking and polling technologies to support interactive debate._8a414004-b664-11e2-9bff-3ae0e2f523543.3Encouraging the use of Internet communications, social networking and polling technologies to more effectively inform and involve the broad public community in interactive debate.2013-05-06http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/aboutOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net