TAKE ACTION NOW!

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP BUILD
A NEW PROGRESSIVE VISION FOR AMERICA

1. Read America Beyond Capitalism and other serious books about politics, the economy, and our nation's future

2. Stimulate debate with our new graphic e-Posters

3. Form a “Political Read-Study-Act Group” with your friends

4. Join a citizen action group

5. Contact the media to express your views on wealth inequality and its impact on our democracy

 

1. Read America Beyond Capitalism and other serious books about politics, the economy, and our nation's future

Many progressives have begun to realize that we must mount a long-term, several decade effort if we are to become more than the resistance movement we have been for the past 20 years. Commonly, this focuses on organizing, framing a new message, and participating in electoral campaign.

All of these are clearly important, but there is a much deeper problem and a deeper dimension–namely, how to stimulate long-range re-thinking of fundamental ideas. This is, and was, a primary source of the long-term conservative march from obscurity in the 1950s to political dominance today. It required bold thinking beyond what could be handled in current political tactics, it required taking a chance, and above all it required a focus on how politics relates to values. As Michael Joyce, President of the conservative Bradley Foundation has written, “We have the conviction that most of the other media are derivative from books. Books are the way that authors put forth more substantial, more coherent arguments. It follows that if you want to have an influence on the world of ideas, books are where you want to put your money.”

Here's what you can do:

•  Read “America Beyond Capitalism” and share it with your friends. In addition to making its own long-term strategic argument, the book reviews and summarizes many emerging progressive proposals, theories and on-the-ground projects.

•  Download “So You'd Like to Change the System…” to find books by other recommended authors

•  For in-depth study, download our Bibliography

 

2. Stimulate debate with our new graphic e-Posters

We've created 10 provocative and visually intriguing e-Posters you can e-mail to your family, friends, and colleagues. The poster series is based on little-known facts about wealth inequality, income disparity, social security, alternative economic models, and more. Each poster links to back-up text and data found on www.americabeyondcapitalism.com.

Here's what you can do:

•  Send e-Posters to your address book.

 

3. Form a “Political Read-Study-Act Group” with your friends

Progressives need to find ways to develop new ideas and new strategies in politically relevant ways even as new organizing efforts are explored. Moreover, we need to do this in ways which involve new people–not just Washington think tanks. And we need to do so in ways which permit action at the local and state level, where people are and where the problems are building up–and above all, where they can find new ways to work together to support each other.

The kind of work that needs to be done also should aim to build intimate local group support–friends and neighbors, not outsiders. The goal is to catalyze a far-reaching discussion among progressives that will open space for bold, visionary thinking and action for the future. In the 1960s and early ‘70s, women gathered in living rooms around the country to read feminist literature and to discuss how these ideas applied to their own lives and situations. Student activists read and debated in their dormitories during the 1960s as they worked to build the anti-Vietnam War movement. More recently, hundreds of thousands of Americans were brought together in living room meetings by Moveon.org and the Dean for America campaign.

Here's what you can do:

•  Invite your friends to a “Political Read-Study-Act Group.” You supply the pizza and recommend a book you can all read together and discuss. Talk about how to really get serious about moving the ball politically in this next period. Learning about the projects and strategies others have initiated can be a powerful way to build new political energy. For ideas about how to start your own group, visit the sites of Progressive Book Clubs and the Democracy Cell Project Book Room.

•  Use our “Discussion guide” to get your group going.

•  Use our “Resource Guide” to find sources of information about progressive projects and organizations around the country.

•  Write us to let us know how your group goes. We are experimenting with ways to engage people in meaningful political study and dialogue – let us know what you learned works from your own group's experience.

•  Meet others in your area who are interested in politics and activism by visiting Meetup.com or by contacting one of the citizen action groups listed below.

•  Use our list of 15 Recommended Books to get your group going.

 

4. Join a progressive citizen action group

A new generation of grassroots progressive citizen action groups has been launched in the past few years. Many combine local and national action campaign with opportunities to learn about and discuss deeper economic and political issues facing Americans.

Here's what you can do:

•  Participate in of one of these organizations in your community.

•  Democracy for America

•  US Action

•  Campaign for America's Future

•  Moveon.org

•  Progressive Majority

•  Demos

•  Wellstone Action

•  Recommend other progressive citizen action groups

 

5. Contact the media to express your views on wealth inequality and its impact on our democracy

In the 1940s there was little press coverage of racial injustice; in the 1950s, little mention in the media of the subservient status of women in society; when the 1960s began, few newspapers reported critically on the use of American military power abroad.

Today there is scant media attention given to one of the most important issues confronting our democracy: the near-feudal and growing inequality of wealth and income in America.

Here's what you can do:

•  Write to your local newspaper, call radio interview programs, and contact other media outlets about your views on wealth inequality in America, and ways communities are addressing this issue. You can access the latest statistics, examples and perspectives from the “Wealth and Inequality” groups listed on our Links page. Some key facts are also available in Gar Alperovitz's recent article, “Taking the Offensive on Wealth”.

•  Send us a copy of the letters and articles you write.