It’s Up to Us
Our political system is broken. Our economy isn’t fair. We keep telling Washington to fix things, but Washington has been corrupted by MegaMoney and captured by crony capitalism. We can’t wait any longer. It’s time for us to take action.
We get it, but we’re not sure where to begin. People worry that reform is impossible. Not true. It’s already happening in many places. Average Americans are making change happen at the grass roots. Their stories are inspiring. We can learn from them. Working together in our home states and communities, We the People can reclaim the American Dream.
That’s what this website is for – for sharing progress, restoring democracy, making our economy fairer. Our mission is to help you make change. We are non-partisan. We don’t have one pet solution we’re pushing. We’ve profiled several issues. We’ll do more. You decide. The main point is for you to get engaged, get active.
Our goal is to help you get started. Newcomers need an entry point to various pathways of reform. So we’re your gateway. We’re here to explain the issues. To show you where things are happening. To tell you success stories. To help you connect with organizations already at work on reform. So let’s get started.
The best way to gain confidence in grass roots reform is to read success stories from other states. They’re inspiring and you can learn a lot from how they got results. Click on each one to learn more.
• It’s impossible to start right off fixing Washington. Our leverage is local and, fortunately, almost every national problem has local roots. So we can have an impact on national problems by action at the state and local level.
• So look around your home community, find local allies and figure out what action you can take together.
• Check out the strategy of other groups that are working for reforms at the state and community level and making real headway. These local initiatives, working together, are building pressure for change at the national level.
• Take an interactive quiz that will help activate your thinking about the issues. See how well informed you are.
• Get informed. We’ve organized this website to give you issue briefs on several important issues. You can check them out and see which issues resonate most with you.
• Get a briefing on issues crucial to restoring our democracy and reducing inequality.
• To zero in on your key issue, discuss several issues with friends, neighbors, classmates, your church group, PTA, Rotary or civic club, your bowling league or softball team or community center.
• Read how grass roots reformers in other states are achieving success. We’ve provided success stories that are instructive and inspiring. They’ll give you ideas on how to get organized and build reform coalitions.
• Remember, you can learn from the success strategies of other groups, even if they are working on different issues from yours .
• Click on these tabs to learn more about the success models to Amend the Constitution, Disclose Campaign $$$, Empower Voters: Public Campaign Funding, Foster Inclusive Capitalism, Raise Minimum Wages, and Relieve Student Debt.
• Organize home get-togethers, group discussions and study sessions to gain allies and build support.
• Consider various strategies. Think about whether you want to influence your city or town council or your state legislature through demonstrations and face-to-face meetings with office-holders, or whether it makes more sense to mount a grass roots petition drive to put your issue on the ballot for a referendum in the next election.
• Check to see what state and local organizations are already at work on your priority issues and see whether you can join forces and work together.
• Click on the items below to see where people have achieved progress on your issue somewhere else in the US and how it got done. Much more is happening than you think on major issues such as Amend the Constitution, Disclose Campaign $$$, Empower Average Voters – Offset MegaMoney, Raise Minimum Wages, and Relieve Student Debt .
• Click here to see the information packages that we have put together on key issues – complete with an issue brief, progress report, success story, reading list and and a list of organizations where you can turn for help.
• Share our issue packets with your friends and your group: Amend the Constitution, Disclose Campaign $$$, Empower Average Voters –Offset MegaMoney, Raise Minimum Wages, and Relieve Student Debt.
• Click on these tabs for organizations that we have listed for you on: Amend the Constitution, Disclose Campaign $$$, Empower Average Voters – Offset MegaMoney, Raise Minimum Wages, and Relieve Student Debt.
Step 6 - Get Help ▾
• Check which national organizations have experience in organizing for reform and are already at work on your issue. We’ve given you contact information for reaching out to them to see if they can offer support for your movement.
To be an effective advocate for reform, it’s essential to get informed on the issues. So we’ve pulled together issue briefings on several topics and we’ll keep expanding this list. Click on the icons to get briefed.
If you’re looking for a roadmap, chances are you’ll find it here. Change is not a myth. It’s a reality. People are winning reforms through grass roots citizen action all across America. Click on our progress reports below to see – ballot initiatives, new laws enacted, actions taken, reforms working.
Time now to find allies. On each issue, we’ve prepared a tool kit of materials that you can use and share with others – an issue briefing, a success story, a progress report, additional readings, and a list of organizations where you can get help. Click on your issue below to get your tool kit.
Hedrick Smith, who conceived this website and is its principal writer and architect, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times reporter and Emmy award-winning documentary producer for PBS and PBS FRONTLINE. more »
