Restoring Social Trust in Democracy
Democracy is under attack at home and abroad. We must take swift action to ensure it is accessible to all, accountable, and can serve as a force of good.
What We're Working On
What We're Doing
Increasing representation and access to our democracy
All Americans must have trust in elections and election results. All Americans also must have unimpeded access to the ballot box. That is why national voting standards are so important, along with laws that would protect against interference with valid election results.
Combating the spread of harmful dis- and misinformation
Disinformation, whether about COVID-19 or elections, undermines Americans’ safety and threatens our democracy. We seek to define the government’s role in combating it, give recommendations to online platforms to stem its spread, and support robust local media that can counter its worst effects.
Building a new framework to regulate online services
Americans’ lives are increasingly reliant on online services and affected by their economic, consumer, and civic harms. A robust regulatory framework, paired with new privacy protections and reinvigorated antitrust action, is needed to address the threats these services pose.
Countering violent political extremism
Countering insurgent threats is critical to maintaining our democracy. As part of this work, we have crafted a national blueprint with the McCain Institute to end white supremacist violence. Our plan draws on expertise across CAP and from more than 150 conversations with a diverse range of stakeholders.
By the numbers
59
Gerrymandering shifted an average of 59 seats in the U.S. House from 2012 to 2016.
Source: CAP, “Voter-Determined Districts” (2019).
1 in 10
42 senators, representing only about 1/10 of the U.S. population, can filibuster popular bills.
Source: CAP, “The Impact of the Filibuster on Federal Policymaking” (2019).
30%
The U.S. population has grown by about 30% since the federal bench’s last meaningful expansion.
Source: CAP, “It Is Past Time for Congress To Expand the Lower Courts” (2021).
81%
81% of voters believe tech companies have too much power and influence over politics and government.
Source: CAP Action, “Voters Support Enacting Stronger Consumer Protections Online” (2021).
What You Can Do
Recent work
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4 Reasons the Willow Oil Project Is Unfit for Approval
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The urgent need to update the Electoral Count Act
Patrick Gaspard and Trevor Potter urge Congress to update the Electoral Count Act and bring it into the 21st century.
Will Viktor Orbán Bring His Racist Rhetoric to the United States this Week?
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's embrace of far-right racism should prompt American conservatives to cut ties with the autocratic Hungarian leader.
The Collins-Manchin Bill Is a Good Deal for Democracy
The new Senate proposal to reform the Electoral Count Act would help prevent the overthrow of a presidential election.
Rising Anti-China Sentiment in South Korea Offers Opportunities To Strengthen US-ROK Relations
The Yoon administration’s posture toward China has important implications for the U.S.-ROK alliance and America’s strategic approach in the region.
Guns and Anti-Government Extremism in Nevada
The rise in white supremacist and anti-government violence is fueled by weak gun laws and easy access to firearms.
Motherhood or Death: Texas’ Lawsuit To Block Lifesaving Abortion Care
By rejecting medical reality, politicians are demonstrating their extreme cruelty.
Liz Cheney Should Be Heralded for Her January 6th Committee Work
Mike Sozan discusses the role that Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) is playing in the ongoing January 6 investigation.
January 6 Hearing Day 7: Donald Trump Summoned a Mob
What happened on January 6, 2021, was not an accident; Donald Trump invited a violent mob to the Capitol in an effort to overturn a valid election.
Immigrants and Asylum-Seekers Deserve Humane Alternatives To Detention
Immigrants and asylum-seekers should be provided with community-based case management services rather than placed in invasive surveillance programs that threaten their well-being, civil liberties, and privacy.
Extremist US Politicians Are Aiding and Abetting Autocratic Hungarian Regime
The extreme right brazenly supports Hungarian efforts to impede U.S. and European Union allied interests, subverting policies that would ensure corporations pay their fair share and sanction Russia for its Ukraine invasion.
A Trillion-Dollar Defense Budget?
The Biden administration and Congress face eight challenges in calculating the size and distribution of a defense budget that has reached a record size.
Defining and Defending Contraception Post-Roe
The misclassification of contraception as abortion by anti-abortion lawmakers is an alarming step down a path toward government control over women’s bodies and futures.