Constitution Center gathering aims at easing gridlock in D.C.

A group that wants to end gridlock in Washington is bringing some big names to Philadelphia Tuesday.

A panel of elected officials, Washington insiders, and volunteer leaders — including Rendell to Trent Lott to Olympia Snowe — will attend the town hall event at the National Constitution Center in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Former Agriculture Secretary and Congressman Dan Glickman, co-chair of the center’s commission on political reform, says this is part of a cross-country tour.

“The Philadelphia meeting is more focused on public service, and that is one of our goals — to encourage public service throughout society,” Glickman said. “And that could be running for office, it could be in the nonprofit world, it’s at a variety of different levels.”

A major concern, says Glickman, is how to encourage citizens to get more involved.

“It could be the question of money, it may be the question of access,” he said. “And then we are also going to look at the impediments to voluntary service. What can the private sector do more to promote that? What can the schools do more to promote that?”

The event is sold out and will be streamed live Tuesday at 1 p.m. on Fora.tv.