A citizen consensus may be broad but shallow, scattered among people who live in different legislative districts and may never contact their representatives. Unless those citizens remain organized, no individual legislator has much reason to fear ignoring them.
A reasonable proposal can have substantial public support and still possess very little political muscle.
The Forum’s answer is to create a citizen advocacy network that will survive the meetings. Organizers envision participants educating other residents, contacting legislators and supporting the proposals through the legislative process. Bipartisan lawmakers have agreed to help champion whatever emerges.⁶
That part of the plan matters more than the pleasant conversations. Shue himself has put the standard bluntly: “We’ve got to get something passed.”⁷
Organized anger already has an infrastructure. It has mailing lists, political action committees, primary challengers and donors prepared to punish dissent. Common ground generally goes home and makes dinner.
If The Forum can turn moderate agreement into sustained political participation, it may be building something our politics currently lacks. Success won’t be measured by how many people enjoyed sitting together for an evening. It will be measured by whether Democrats and Republicans put their names on the same bill, whether a committee chair allows it to move and whether citizens remain involved when organized opposition appears.
Kevin Smith’s consultant may have been right that compromise is a dangerous word under the incentives governing politics today. But those incentives weren’t handed down on stone tablets. Andrew Shue doesn’t have to prove that Americans agree on everything; he has to prove that agreement, when it exists, can be organized into political power.
Organized anger has been running the country for a while. It’s worth finding out whether organized agreement can pass a bill.
Bibliography
1. • Charlotte Matherly, “New Hampshire Forum Seeks Common Ground for Bipartisan Solutions and Civic Engagement,” Concord Monitor , republished by New Hampshire Public Radio, April 8, 2026.
2. • Tony Schinella, “Can a Former Television Actor and NH Pols Bridge the Partisan Divide? The NH Forum Seeks to Find Out,” Patch , April 7, 2026.
3. • Leonard Robinson, “At NH Forum, Granite Staters Try to Turn Civil Talk Into State Policy,” NH Journal , June 18, 2026.
4. • Mya Blanchard, “NH Residents Find Common Ground During The New Hampshire Forum Community Conversation,” Nashua Ink Link , July 23, 2026.
5. • New Hampshire General Court, “HB 714-FN: Creating a Single Primary Ballot,” official bill-status record.
6. • Nicole Colson, “‘Melrose Place’ Star Andrew Shue and N.H. Senate President Discuss New Hampshire Forum on WKBK,” MyKeeneNow , May 27, 2026.
7. • “How a New Group Aims to Shift Focus from Partisan Politics to What Voters Have in Common,” KTNV 13 Action News .