Recently there have been several excellent diaries about the importance of winning not only the Presidency and both Houses of Congress, but state and local elections as well. (www.dailykos.com/… ) Some difficult, but absolutely necessary suggestions were offered for how to do this.
To help that effort, we have something else to offer in addition: The Contract For Americans and ContractForAmericans.org. Our Contract is a long specific list of things most voters want, but don’t have, because special interests have bought enough political influence to prevent them.
When voters “endorse” the contract, they promise to vote for all candidates who pledge to do their best to pass all those laws if elected.
When Candidates “endorse” the contract, they promise to try their best to pass those laws.
Our provisions could dramatically improve the lives of huge numbers of voters, especially women, students, minorities, and minimum wage workers. Millions of them voted Democratic in 2008 but later became disillusioned, and stayed home. If we can restore voters’ faith that government can work, if we can convince them their votes really mattered, that their votes could make their lives better, we could overcome even the largest SuperPACs and recapture our government, in all states and at all levels, from special interests and big money.
There are many similar lists and programs: NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio’s The Progressive Agenda to Combat Income Inequality probably has the best backing and credibility. The Contract For Americans is philosophically almost identical, but offers several advantages:
1) It is more comprehensive. It addresses more issues, which engages more voters. We tried to choose issues so that if voters really like one, they are unlikely to be strongly against the others.
2) Voters can help shape the Contract by rating each provision and suggesting others not initially included. (We left out some important but more controversial issues. But if most endorsers want them, or don’t like some we included, they can change what provisions are included. Ultimately, its provisions will be crowd sourced.)
3) It is more specific. Rather than vague platitudes about “making lives better for ordinary Americans” we propose very specific actions.
4) It holds Candidates accountable. They promise to try to pass all these provisions. We see what they do, and can run endorsing candidates against them the next primary if needed. (If that sounds a little like the Tea Party or Grover Norquist, the similarity is intentional.)
5) Relevant to the 50 State Strategy, it applies to all 50 states, and from the US President to elected village officials. All Candidates for whatever office, and from whatever Party, are welcome to endorse the Contract and try to pass its provisions. And because it is internet based, it is extremely inexpensive. Feel free to send your $5 to someone else. If Daily Kos, MoveOn.org and social media run with it, if Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren endorse it, it could go viral and create changes as dramatic and historic as the New Deal or the Civil Rights Movement.
6) It in no way competes with Chris Reeves’ and others’ 50 State Strategy. All those suggestions are still necessary. We just augment and strengthen their efforts.
The Contract For Americans is fully functioning, but very much a work in progress. It needs millions of voters to shape and refine it, and spread the word to others. Please check out ContractForAmericans.org , suggest improvements, help make it go viral, and help recapture our government to make it work for ordinary citizens.
Thank you for your help and all your good work.