The Bill of Obligations

The United States faces dangerous threats from Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, terrorists, climate change, and future pandemics, but the greatest peril to the country comes not from abroad but from within, from none other than ourselves. The question facing us is whether we are prepared to do what is necessary to save our democracy. The Bill of Obligations is a bold call for change. In these pages, author Richard Haass argues that the very idea of citizenship must be revised and expanded if American democracy is to endure. The ten obligations that Haass introduces here are essential for healing our divisions and safeguarding the future of our country. These obligations re-envision what it means to be an American citizen. They are not a burden, but rather commitments that we make to fellow citizens and to the government to uphold our democracy and fight back against the growing apathy, anger, selfishness, and division that threaten us all. --