Action Plan

Enacting the Democracy Agenda

Politics is a Team Sport and a Numbers Game

Our “winner-take-all” political system focuses most of our attention on individual candidates in head-to-head competition to win seats in legislatures or executive offices and every candidate talks about issues of concern to voters in a manner that implies that, if they are elected, the legislation voters want enacted will be enacted. But politics in America is a team sport and a numbers game. It takes 218 votes in the House and 51 in the Senate to enact legislation. Current Senate rules and procedures make 60 votes necessary in most cases, but the filibuster and other procedures anti-democratic procedures could be eliminated by a majority vote in the Senate. If the president vetoes a bill, it takes 290 votes in the House and 67 in the Senate to override the veto. It also takes 290 votes in the House and 67 in the Senate to propose an amendment to the Constitution, which must then be ratified by a majority vote in three-fourths of the states (38 states).

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party have long been considered the primary “teams” in our electoral and political systems. There were also teams consisting of “liberals” and “conservatives” that blurred the lines between the two major parties on some issues. We had, in effect, a four-party system consisting of liberal Democrats, liberal Republicans, conservative Democrats, and conservative Republicans.

The “teams” in a referendum on democracy or in support of the legislation that makes up the Democracy Agenda are best described as Champions of Democracy, the false friends of democracy, and the true enemies of democracy. There are a great many politically active Americans who consider themselves supporters of democracy but do not consider majority rule to be an essential component of democracy.

The next few elections are likely to be, in large part, referendums on democracy. We must succeed in making the Democracy Agenda a key part of those elections. And we must win the hearts and minds of politically active citizens who claim to believe in democracy but not majority rule. If they support candidates who, in turn, support the Democracy Agenda, that will go a long way toward making a broad and inclusive movement to make America a perfect democracy, too big to fail.

Step One: Get legislation drafted and introduced

Members of Congress and state legislatures do not ordinarily draft and submit (or co-sponsor) legislation that has no realistic chance of being enacted in a legislative session. We need to find at least one Champions of Democracy in each chamber of Congress and each chamber of every state legislature who will draft and introduce the legislation called for in the Democracy Agenda even if there is little chance of it passing in 2024. That will make it easy for us to identify the incumbents who are Champions of Democracy and give them our support.

Within our present political system, members of Congress and state legislatures are most likely to respond to requests from their own constituents - the people who can vote for (or against) them. It is, therefore, very important for as many citizens as possible to contact their own senators and representatives to encourage them to draft and introduce the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda. Much of the legislation in the Democracy Agenda needs to be enacted by Congress.

At the state level our focus should be on the four foundational reforms (Proxies for Citizens, Perfect Democracy Amendments, and both forms of ranked choice voting (single winner and multiple-member districts).

Step Two: Recruit cosponsors

Once the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda has been introduced, we need to get members of Congress and state legislatures who believe in democracy to make their support the Democracy Agenda clear by signing on as cosponsors to the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda.

Step Three: Public statements of support from non-incumbents

As the filing period for candidates opens (and closes) in various states, we need to get non-incumbent candidates who believe in and support democracy to make public statements of support for Pure Democracy Amendments and the rest of the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda.

Our goal should be to have at least one candidate who supports the Democracy Agenda on the ballot in every state and district for congressional elections and election to state legislatures.

When an incumbent does not support the Democracy Agenda, we need to do our best to recruit one or more candidates who do support the Democracy Agenda to run in both major party primaries. It will be especially important to recruit a candidate for the major party that is dominant in districts that have been gerrymandered to strongly favor one of the two major parties.

We need to encourage every non-incumbent candidate for Congress and state legislatures to post statements of support for the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda on their campaign website and notify us when they have done so. We will be posting links to the appropriate pages on the websites of Champions of Democracy on our website. Our primary focus throughout the election will be on various ways to encourage voters and politically active citizens to visit our website before deciding what candidates to support with their time, money, and votes.

Step Four: Conduct unofficial primaries (as needed)

Except in Maine and Alaska (where ranked choice voting is already in place), when there is more than one candidate in an election who supports the Democracy Agenda and other candidates who do not, we will need to conduct some sort of unofficial primary election to unite behind a single Champion of Democracy to minimize or neutralize the “spoiler effect”.

When an incumbent in Congress supports the Democracy Agenda, they deserve our support across party lines and regardless of their position on other issues. If a challenger has made a clear and firm pledge to support the Democracy Agenda, especially if that challenger is from the opposing major party, voters who are members of one or the other of the two major parties will understandably want to take advantage of that fact to vote for the candidate of their own party.

When a Congressional incumbent does not support the Democracy Agenda, we need to do our best to recruit candidates who do support the Democracy Agenda to run in both major party primaries. It will be especially important to recruit a candidate for the major party that is dominant n districts that have been gerrymandered to strongly favor one of the two major parties.

When the primaries are over, if both major party candidates in a state or district support Democracy Agenda, voters can cast their votes based on other issues. If only one major party candidate who supports democracy is on the ballot, we need to support that candidate even if we disagree with their position on other issues.

When only one major party candidate supports the Democracy Agenda, we need to avoid running or supporting any minor party or independent candidates (except in Maine or Alaska where ranked choice voting has eliminated concerns about the "spoiler effect"). If neither major party candidate supports democracy, if there is more than one minor party or independent candidate who support the Democracy Agenda, we need to identify the candidate with the best chance of winning and unite in support of that candidate.

Within our “winner-take-all” system, with plurality winners and single-member districts, if there is more than one pro-democracy candidate on the ballot in a given state or district, we need to provide some means of uniting in support of one pro-democracy candidate, especially if there is only one antidemocratic candidate on the ballot. In those cases, we must convene a pro-democracy caucus, convention, or unofficial primary election in order to avoid splitting the pro-democracy vote.

Step Five: Civic Education

We need to communicate with voters (and potential voters) to develop a shared understanding of democracy and the Democracy Agenda.

Our greatest blessing, as Americans, is that we can have (and win) a political revolution using ballots instead of bullets!

To exercise our power as “the ultimate rulers of our democracy” we must first unite in support of democracy and in support of Champions of Democracy. We must elect candidates who support the legislation that makes up the Democracy Agenda to a majority of the seats in both houses of Congress and every state legislature. We must temporarily set aside our differences of opinion regarding the wedge issues that divide us (abortion, gun control, gay rights, immigration, taxes, and the proper role of government and make support for pro-democracy legislation our top priority in deciding which candidates to support.

To believe in democracy means to agree that major political decisions (what laws should be enacted, what rights should be secured and protected, and the form of the government) should be made by "the voters of this country"– not by politicians, or Supreme Court justices.

When we unite in support of the ideals upon which our nation was founded, we will find that we, the people, have the power to address the flaws in our political system and become more than a “full democracy”. We can make America a perfect democracy.

The election of 2024 is going to be a referendum on democracy. That is not a matter that is up for discussion or debate. It is simply the way things are and the way things are going to be. We need to make sure democracy wins!

There is a long list of critical problems that need to be addressed and issues that need to be resolved in America today. We argue angrily and endlessly about the same issues. We have become bitterly divided. There are solutions that have the support of a solid majority of Americans, but so far, those solutions have not been implemented because within our corrupted, dysfunctional, gridlocked political system, the will of the people does not matter.

Unless and until we make America a true democracy, very little, if any, of the legislation we want enacted will be enacted. Once we succeed in making America a true democracy, all the legislation that has the support of a majority of politically active citizens will be passed into law.

To make America a true democracy, we, the people, must unite – across party lines and despite ideological differences on the issues that divide us. Without abandoning our efforts on the issues we care about, we must make enacting the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda our top priority.

PRIORITIZE U.S. SENATE RACES

Getting two-thirds of the members of the U. S. Senate to support the constitutional amendments called for in the Democracy Agenda will be our biggest challenge. The fact that senators serve significantly longer terms than representatives makes voting anti-democratic senators out of office in every election especially important. We need to make support for the Democracy Agenda the key consideration of as many voters as possible as they decide which candidates for the U. S. Senate to support.

SUPPORT CANDIDATES FOR STATE LEGISLATURES WHO SUPPORT THE DEMOCRACY AGENDA

Getting constitutional amendments ratified by three-fourths of the states will also be a major challenge. Introducing resolutions of support for the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda is the most obvious means of determining which members of state legislatures support genuine democracy and which members need to be replaced by a champion of democracy. Hopefully such resolution will be adopted by state legislatures, but simply introducing such resolutions will enable us to identify which incumbents support the Pure Democracy Amendment, even if the resolution is not adopted.

Politically Active Citizens

Politically Active Citizens are the key to organizing the broad-based and inclusive movement that will be needed to overcome the opposition of the false friends and true enemies of democracy and enact the reforms needed to make America a perfect democracy. We are the link between pro-democracy incumbents and candidates and voters.

Those of us who contribute time and/or money to candidates for office tend to have one or more issues that we care about deeply. We work through candidates and organizations in support of the causes and issues we care about. And we are routinely disappointed when the legislation we seek to get enacted fails to get enacted despite the fact that it has the support of a majority of voters. We need to realize that we are not likely to see meaningful action on any of the many issues that have popular support until we fix our broken, corrupted, dysfunctional, and antidemocratic political system. Once we have made America a perfect (or at least a true) democracy, we will see meaningful action on ALL of the issues that concern us. We need to help candidates and voters understand that as well. We need to make it clear that we will only support and work for candidates who support pro-democracy reforms. We need to identify and support CHAMPIONS OF DEMOCRACY who are on the ballot for every seat in Congress and all 50 state legislatures.

If enough of us withhold our support from incumbents who have not signed on to the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda, that legislation is more likely to be introduced. If enough of us simply refuse to support candidates who do not support democracy, candidates who do support democracy will emerge – and they will have a better chance of winning elections.

Pro-Democracy Incumbents

We need PRO-DEMOCRACY INCUMBENTS to sponsor and cosponsor the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda. And we need to support incumbents who support democracy, regardless of party.

Members of Congress and state legislatures do not ordinarily draft and submit (or co-sponsor) legislation that has no realistic chance of being enacted in a legislative session. We need to find at least one Champions of Democracy in each chamber of Congress and each chamber of every state legislature who will draft and introduce the legislation called for in the Democracy Agenda even if there is little chance of it passing in 2024 and then encourage other members to sign on as cosponsors. That will make it easy for us to identify the incumbents who are Champions of Democracy and give them our support.

Pro-Democracy Candidates

When an incumbent running for re-election does not support the Democracy Agenda, we need to do our best to recruit one or more candidates who do support the Democracy Agenda to run in major party primaries. It will be especially important to recruit a candidate for the major party that is dominant in districts that have been gerrymandered to strongly favor one of the two major parties.

Pro-Democracy Voters

We need a majority of VOTERS in every state to understand the essential elements of democracy, recognize Champions of Democracy, and vote for them.

Which Side Are You On?

Are you a Champion of Democracy?

The sides in the never-ending contests between democracy and autocracy and between freedom and tyranny are not Democrats versus Republicans or liberals versus conservatives. The sides in the campaign to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” and to Make America a Perfect Democracy are Champions of Democracy on one side, and the false friends and true enemies of democracy, on the other side. Which side are you on?

If you believe that we are all endowed with unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness - you are a Champion of Democracy.

If you believe the primary reason we institute governments among us is to secure and protect our rights - you are a Champion of Democracy.

If you believe that we, the people of America (not Supreme Court justices or politicians who serve private interests) should decide what rights are secured and protected by our government - you are a Champion of Democracy.

If you believe that governments derive their "just powers from the consent of the governed" - you are a Champion of Democracy.

If you believe in majority rule - you are a Champion of Democracy.

If you believe that "the consent of the governed" is only properly obtained when everyone who is governed by the acts of a government has an equal vote or truly equal representation as major political decisions are made - you are a Champion of Democracy.

If you support the legislation included in the Democracy Agenda - you are a Champion of Democracy.

If you believe it is our Right and our Duty to alter the form of our government to Make America a Perfect Democracy - you are a Champion of Democracy.

State by State

Our best chance for early victories for democracy will be at the state level, especially in states that already have referendums and/or the initiative.

We need volunteers in every state to report information regarding pro-democracy reforms and candidates.

We need one or more volunteers in all fifty states to share information regarding pro-democracy candidates and pro-democracy reforms that will be on the ballot in each state. If you would like to volunteer, please use the contact form (below) to sign up and share information.

Some states will have pro-democracy reforms on the ballot in 2024.

Although we are still waiting for final certification, it appears that some pro-democracy reforms will be on the ballot in some states in 2024. Further information will be posted here as it becomes available.

We can use the initiative to get Perfect Democracy Amendments and other pro-democracy reforms on the ballot in 2026.

There are fifteen states that already provide for both referendums and the initiative for both statutes and constitutional amendments in their constitutions. Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, and South Dakota. Citizens in these states with the initiative could (and should) enact Pure Democracy Amendments to make it easier to use the referendums and the initiative. That will shift political power from special interests that dominate state legislatures and vest all political power in the people.

The details of getting proposals on the ballot vary from state to state but require collecting a lot of signatures by a deadline in every state. We need to get petitions for Perfect Democracy Amendments and other pro-democracy reforms drafted now so we will be ready to file those petitions right after the election this November. We need to organize campaigns to gather signatures as soon as possible in those states. It will require major organizational support to collect enough signatures by the various deadlines.

The prospect of making America a perfect democracy should excite and motivate us as much as it scares the rulers of America.

The rulers of America will spend a great deal of money seeking to keep democracy from breaking out. And they will use that money to spread a lot of misinformation and disinformation about the dangers of “mob rule” and the “tyranny of the majority”. Those of us who are excited by the prospect of democracy breaking out need to invest a lot of time (and, yes, some money) educating voters about the many true blessings of pure democracy.

They have the money. We have the votes. And our votes are not for sale.

The material on this website is adapted from a soon to be published book: Government by the People: A Citizen's Guide to Making America a Perfect Democracy by Winston Apple.

This website was created by, is maintained by, and paid for by Winston Apple,

Government by the People

Government by the People

Action Plan