Civic Healer Unveils Peacecrafting Framework for Constitutional Renewal Ahead of America's 250th

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As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Dr. Paul Zeitz, a civic healer, epidemiologist, and author, is leading a national campaign called The Great American Rewrite that calls for peaceful, citizen-led constitutional renewal through Citizens' Assemblies, peacecrafting, and revolutionary optimism. Zeitz believes the Constitution belongs to the people, not politicians or billionaires, and that it needs to be updated to address issues like polarization, special interest capture, and failing on key challenges.

Why it matters

With trust in Congress at historic lows and 62% of Americans afraid to share their political views openly, Zeitz argues the system is paralyzed and the problem is the structure, not the people. He believes convening Citizens' Assemblies of randomly selected, representative citizens can break deadlocks and lead to a refreshed Constitution that better serves the public.

The details

Zeitz's campaign, sponsored by #unifyUSA, calls for states to convene Citizens' Assemblies now, building toward a National Citizens' Assembly, with a refreshed Constitution put to the public for ratification. He also emphasizes the importance of 'peacecrafting' - the teachable skill of turning conflict into collaboration through practices like listening as a friend, embracing multiple perspectives, and building trust.

• The nation will celebrate its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.
• Zeitz is leading The Great American Rewrite campaign in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary.

What they’re saying

What’s next

States are being called on to convene Citizens' Assemblies now, building toward a National Citizens' Assembly that will put a refreshed Constitution to the public for ratification.