petenpeterson
| Forum role | Member since | Last activity | Topics created | Replies created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Dec 17, 2014 (11 years) |
- | 1 | 0 |
- Forum role
- Member
- Member since
Dec 17, 2014 (11 years)
- Last activity
- -
- Topics created
- 1
- Replies created
- 0
Bio
"I am not afraid to say that the principle of self-interest rightly understood appears to me the best suited of all philosophical theories to the wants of the men of our time, and that I regard it as their chief remaining security against themselves. Towards it, therefore, the minds of the moralists of our age should turn; even should they judge it to be incomplete, it must nevertheless be adopted as necessary." - Alexis De Tocqueville, "Democracy in America" (1835)
After 15 years in the private sector, I left to follow a passion of mine: promoting greater civic engagement. That decision led me to become the first Executive Director of Common Sense California (CSC) - a bipartisan non-profit focused on increasing public participation in policymaking. In 2010, CSC merged with the Davenport Institute at Pepperdine University to create the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership. For the better part of a decade, I have researched, trained, and consulted on this changing relationship between government and citizens. In 2014, I was the Republican candidate for California Secretary of State.