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
2022 State Abortion Bans Are a Patchwork of Increasingly Extreme Laws
Tax Breaks for Retirement Savings Do Not Help the Workers Who Need Them Most
Viewpoint 1: The infant formula crisis and our inequitable food system
Prioritizing Racial Equity in Student Mental Health Spending
Latest
Fact Sheet: Stopping Political Spending by Foreign-Influenced U.S. Corporations
Bright-line foreign-ownership thresholds would close the loophole on inappropriate election and ballot-related spending by foreign-influenced American corporations.
LGBTQ+ Military Members and Veterans Face Economic, Housing, and Health Insecurities
New analysis shows that LGBTQ+ service members and veterans face a bevy of social, economic, and health concerns—while contending with the legacy of discriminatory policies as well as ongoing social stigma and limits to benefits.
Strengthening Antitrust Enforcement by Modernizing Merger Guidelines
Efforts by the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice to revise merger guidelines offer an opportunity to strengthen antitrust enforcement.
State Attacks Against LGBTQI+ Rights
Learn more about the discriminatory anti-LGBTQI+ bills advancing in states across the country and what can be done to oppose these damaging legislative attacks.
Christian Nationalism Is ‘Single Biggest Threat’ to America’s Religious Freedom
Religious freedom expert Amanda Tyler, of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, discusses the latest court cases and trends in religious freedom.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Has Been Confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court
History made: Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman to be a Supreme Court justice.
San Jose Bill Would Limit Political Spending by Foreign-Influenced U.S. Corporations
An ordinance recommended by several of San Jose’s councilmembers would help protect the city’s elections and ballot measures by prohibiting American corporations with appreciable foreign ownership from spending political dollars.
The Supreme Court Must Continue To Provide Live Audio Broadcasts of Oral Arguments
The U.S. Supreme Court began offering remote, real-time audio broadcasts of its oral arguments during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it should continue to provide such access upon resuming normal operations.
22 Faith Leaders To Watch in 2022
There’s been no shortage of faith-based advocacy during the first year of the Biden administration.
Seeking Accountability and Justice for Crimes Committed in Ukraine
The international community’s message must be clear: Russia’s acts of aggression and any human rights violations against the Ukrainian people will not go unpunished.