In an email sent today (July 4th), our new friends at Mobilize.org announced that they are calling upon the members of the younger generation “to establish a renewed government, one that empowers the individual citizen. Through the unique characteristics that define the Millennial Generation and the technology afforded to us at this point in history, we find it necessary and proper to demand a new process: Democracy 2.0.”

I just had a conversation yesterday with David Smith, Director of Mobilize.org, and I told him how much I liked the term “Democracy 2.0.” People in our community are always struggling with how to talk about this work (dialogue and deliberation? deliberative democracy? public engagement? citizen-centered work?) without sounding too academic, too jargony, or too new agey. “Democracy 2.0″ is a simple term that says a lot: we’re talking about something new and innovative, something that takes advantage of all the tech possibilities out there today, something that appeals to young people, and of course something that takes democracy to the next step.

The purpose of the Democracy 2.0 is to call attention to the main problems of our current political system, highlight the distinct characteristics of our generation, and provide guidelines for change to help cultivate a new political process in America….

Beginning today, Mobilize.org will seek the input of the fellow members of their generation to help shape and form this new citizen-centered government. They have started a blog where they request your input. Over the next few weeks, we will release six questions based on these three themes:

1. What currently works and what doesn’t work in our democracy, and what should the role of government be?
2. What characteristics define our generation and how can these traits help us redefine our democratic process?
3. What should Democracy 2.0 look like and what action items must we take now to help create a more citizen-centered approach to democracy?

For their overall strategy, upcoming events, and how you can get involved, read the complete description of Democracy 2.0.

I’ll end this post the way David ended his email:  “Thank you for your dedication to making our nation vibrant, strong, and Democracy 2.0 compliant.”