Governing by the Promise
In American democracy we govern by many means: by speaking up as citizens, by running for office, voting, and volunteering in elections, and by critically and constructively thinking, as citizens or as office holders, about the policies our nation needs for real progress.
Speaking Up
Participation in democracy begins with having a plainspoken sense of what you believe and what direction you want your country to go, and communicating it regularly to family, friends, associates, and government representatives. Speaking up is one of the foundations of citizen governance.
Elections
Elections are a critical tool for keeping the people's representatives accountable to the people. If we are not voting in elections, then we as citizens are not fulfilling our responsibility to govern. Find resources on voting, candidates, and issues, and find out how you can support progressive candidates and campaigns.
Policy
The Promise principles can re-energize familiar progressive policy and guide us toward new policy directions. Find tips on thinking about policy, familiarize yourself with some leading progressive policy directions, and look ahead to further policy directions.
Your Representatives
The government representatives we elect are the ones who are accountable to us. But your representatives can't represent you if they don't know what issues you care about. Use these resources to find your representatives and write them about the issues that matter to you.
Feel good about speaking up for the promise of democracy.