Ben Barnes knows politics from the inside. He was elected to the Texas legislature at age 22, became Speaker of the Texas House at 26 and lieutenant governor at 30. In his new book, Barn Burning, Barn Building, Ben provides a window on what really happens in the halls of power and he is our guest this week on Smart City.

Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer has also seen politics at the highest levels, having worked in the White House. But now, as founder and president of AmericaSpeaks, she is developing new democratic practices to strengthen citizens' voices in public decision-making, and we'll find out about her work.

Also with us is Larry Keeley, who BusinessWeek calls one of the world's leading innovators. As head of Doblin, Larry is leading a first-time series of innovation workshops for urban leaders organized by CEOs for Cities.

A fresh perspective on the democratic process, here on Smart City.