As the United States observes its 250th birthday, American democracy is at a pivotal juncture that will determine the nation’s future. Anchored in the foundational notion that it is created of, by, and for the people, U.S. democracy has weathered daunting challenges and produced one of the most successful nations in human history. Indeed, most Americans continue to support democracy’s bedrock values, such as adherence to the rule of law, respect for fundamental freedoms, and free and fair elections.
Yet the values underlying American democracy have never been fully achieved and today are under active attack by extremist factions and wealthy special interests. Simultaneously, everyday Americans feel that the federal government is failing to deliver prosperity and security during a time of increasing economic and social turbulence. This disconnect has fueled frustration and distrust with our current political system, which is increasingly seen as unresponsive to people’s daily struggles.
Despite these profound challenges, Americans must not give up on democracy or give in to authoritarianism. Instead, we have the individual and collective power to build a stronger and more responsive system for the next 250 years. We can design a modernized democracy that finally achieves the goals of a government that is representative of and answerable to all people, without leaving anyone behind or unfairly favoring anyone. For its part, CAP will continue to offer an innovative policy roadmap for elected leaders who want to reach these goals. Our chief focus will be on democracy reforms to root out government corruption and conflicts of interest, optimize government responsiveness to its citizens, reduce the corporate and “dark” money that skew our system toward wealthy special interests, expand voting rights, and ensure free and fair elections that reflect the will of the people. You can read more about CAP’s affirmative agenda for America below and on other parts of the CAP website.