5 Progressive Organizations Spurring Grassroots Participation In Politics
Keeping up with politics can be time-consuming, and often frustrating, but for a democracy to function, its citizens need to be well-informed and politically active. By learning about the issues, sharing your opinions, and standing up for what you believe in, you can help your country to move in the right direction. If you want to make your voice heard, consider supporting the organizations listed here. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
Groups Working To Improve Politics
| Name | Headquarters Location | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Stand Up America | New York, NY | Resist Trump’s dangerous agenda and work to strengthen American democracy |
| Generation Progress | Washington, DC | Work with and for young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges |
| Demand Justice | Washington, DC | Fight to restore the ideological balance and legitimacy of the federal courts by advocating for reform and vigorously opposing extreme nominees |
| Institute for Public Policy Research | London, UK | Open up opportunity, power, and prosperity to everyone through conducting rigorous research and generating big ideas |
| Georgia Win List | Atlanta, GA | Change the face of power in Georgia by recruiting, training, supporting, electing, and re-electing Democratic women who will serve as effective advocates for the issues most important to families and women, including the preservation of reproductive freedom |
You Should Run For Political Office
Voter Turnout In U.S. Presidential Elections
According to the United States Census Bureau
| Year | Total Voting Age Population (V.A.P.) | Votes Cast | Percentage of V.A.P. That Turned Out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 140,777,000 | 77,625,000 | 55.1% |
| 1976 | 152,308,000 | 81,603,000 | 53.6% |
| 1980 | 163,945,000 | 86,497,000 | 52.8% |
| 1984 | 173,995,000 | 92,655,000 | 53.3% |
| 1988 | 181,956,000 | 91,587,000 | 50.3% |
| 1992 | 189,493,000 | 104,600,000 | 55.2% |
| 1996 | 196,789,000 | 96,390,000 | 49.0% |
| 2000 | 209,787,000 | 105,594,000 | 50.3% |
| 2004 | 219,553,000 | 122,349,000 | 55.7% |
| 2008 | 229,945,000 | 131,407,000 | 57.1% |
Issues With American Democracy
- Gerrymandering
- Money in politics
- Systematic racism
- Uninformed voters
- Unequal representation in presidential elections
- Media bias
- Voter suppression
An Introduction To UK Parliament
In Depth
Political non-profits put themselves forward to magnify the attention elected representatives pay to issues that are not priorities for the donors who get them elected. This list, presented in no particular order, highlights five such groups that seek to draw grassroots energy toward their missions.
At #1, Stand Up America began in the weeks after the 2016 election, when hundreds of thousands of concerned Americans came together online to protest and resist President Donald Trump's agenda. Its work primarily consists of digital communications, encouraging community members to contact elected representatives via phone, fax, email, and Twitter.
The group focuses primarily on three issues. They wish to mobilize voters to cast a ballot in the 2020 election. Vowing to "strengthen our democracy," it advocates for the legislation it sees as critical: campaign finance reform and the protection of voting rights. Stand Up America also advocates for transparency and accountability from elected officials. Get involved by pledging to vote.
Get involved by pledging to vote.
#2 on the list is Generation Progress. It's a national organization that works with and for young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges. It runs programs in activism, journalism, policy research, and advocacy to engage all Millennials, not just those on college campuses.
The group is the youth wing of the centrist liberal think tank Center for American Progress. Major issues on which it focuses include climate change, criminal justice reform, democracy, gun violence, immigration, and student debt. Its work includes publishing articles online and encouraging followers to sign petitions and contact elected officials. Donate if you wish to contribute to this mission.
For #3, we've got Demand Justice, a progressive movement fighting to restore the ideological balance and legitimacy of the federal courts by advocating for reform and vigorously opposing extreme nominees. It wages fact-based campaigns designed to empower citizens to organize around the nation's judicial system.
It wages fact-based campaigns designed to empower citizens to organize around the nation's judicial system.
Initiatives include efforts to reform the Supreme Court, in order to depoliticize it. The group has advocated for the impeachment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, arguing that his history of sexual assault is disqualifying. It has also pushed to nominate progressives to the courts and to oppose Trump's appointments. Keep up with updates on its work online.
In the #4 slot, The Institute for Public Policy Research is a registered charity and the UK's preeminent progressive think tank. It aims to promote research in the social sciences and public services, advance the voluntary sector, contribute to the improvement of physical and mental health, support the arts and sciences, fight poverty and other disadvantages, and back environmental protection initiatives.
Major research areas include local leadership, political economy, the environment, housing, public services, and migration, among others. It also develops initiatives aimed at particular ends, for example, environmental justice reform and the fight against unemployment. IPPR also produces videos and podcasts, offering short introductions to the issues on which it intervenes. Find out more by reading The Progressive Review, the organization's journal on politics and ideas.
It also develops initiatives aimed at particular ends, for example, environmental justice reform and the fight against unemployment.
Closing things out at #5, Georgia Win List wants to change the face of power in the Southern state by electing pro-choice women Democrats. To this end, it offers recruiting, training, support, election, and re-election initiatives for candidates who align with its mandate. Since 2000, it has helped elect or re-elect more than 70 women, many of whom are currently in office.
Candidates endorsed by Win List receive financial contributions, promotion through the group's email newsletter and social media, as well as in-person events, campaign volunteers, and technical assistance. Its flagship training program, The Win Leadership Academy, focuses on preparing women to run for office, hold leadership positions in campaigns, or seek appointed positions which affect public policy. To offer your support, make a financial contribution.
