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An election at the intersection of power and democratic values
Oct 01 2020
Molineaux is president of the Bridge Alliance, a coalition of more than 100 civic engagement and democracy reform groups. (Disclosure: The Bridge Alliance Education Fund is a funder of The Fulcrum.)
<div><br></div><div>In this dark year, I am carrying hope for our nation.<br></div><p>While many of my friends — across the political spectrum and in varying corners of our current politics — agitate, calculate, dominate and become irate, I claim kinship with them all. I see our broken hearts, our disappointment, our pain and suffering. I see our pride, our gumption and innovation. I share our collective feeling of anxiety mixed with dread for what may be next. And still, I carry hope.</p><p>We are a raucous American family. While we talk about divorce in terms of civil unrest and civil war, like a good marriage counselor I am asking: What are we fighting for? And what are we protecting against? </p><p>I carry the hope for our nation by advocating in favor of so many of our democratic values. That we citizens are bound to one another. And that no one is above the law. That our elected officials are public servants. And that the public should be protected by a system of checks and balances that prevents the unmitigated pursuit of power for its own sake. That power in the United States government must always be in service to the people. And that goes for all the people, not a privileged few. Finally, our bond grows stronger as a nation when we trust one another and share mutual association.</p><p><p style="text-align: center;" id="sufn"><a style="font-weight: bold;margin:40px auto;font-size:2rem" href="https://thefulcrum.us/st/newsletters">Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter </a></p></p><p>I carry the hope for our nation along with all those others working to protect against the forces of division — and to protect against the intolerance of those who wish to memorialize their power and advantage over others. I work to protect against rigidity of thought that obstructs, and against advancement so rapid we lose our tradition and sense of American identity. (These are the failures globally that did not allow us to prevent the Second World War.)</p><p>The Constitution was a reaction to the tyranny of and absolute power granted to a single man. The framers wanted power for themselves, separate from King George III. This is fact, as is their dismissal of non-white people and women as subservient — and enslaved to the framers' expression of liberty. They were the underdogs in a power-hungry world. The David against the Goliath of English colonization. </p><p>Despots hold absolute power. It is a term reserved for those who exercise their power in a cruel or oppressive way. Today we face the possibility of a despotic ruler in the United States for the first time in our lives and perhaps the first time in American history. </p><p><div class="x12"><div class="htlad-Desktop_Content_Banner"></div></div></p><p>For a nation that has promised "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," we have fallen short and that is the source of our agitation, cogitation and irritation. It is also the source of our broken hearts, ruptured relationships and disappointment in our chance at a better life.</p><p>Freedom is the promise of our now-amended Constitution to every person. And freedom is now experienced by more people around the world than at any time in history. As humans, we long for freedom but freedom comes with a price tag. We have to protect it, tolerate others and compromise to avoid the sort of despotic rule that provides privilege to some while punishing others. </p><p>If we look to a leader in the United States to punish others, we have already lost freedom. And as history proves, despots will grab the power -- without any intention of its return to the people. If you have given your support to a leader who states that opponents are enemies and should be punished, you have given your power away by no longer supporting democratic values. You have chosen a leader who prioritizes power over democracy. </p><div></div><p>I carry the hope for our nation by remaining a free person, open-hearted and open-minded about our collective future. Will you join me?</p>
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Voting locations will need more people to step up as poll workers, like Jeremiah Abah of Clark County, Nev.., writes Debilyn Molineaux.
Only the citizenry can truly ensure a credible election
Jul 23 2020
Molineaux is the co-founder and executive director of Bridge Alliance, a coalition of more than 100 civic reform groups. (Disclosure: The Bridge Alliance Education Fund is a funder of The Fulcrum.)
<p>This is a call to people who love our country more than they hate their political opponents. It is our duty and our honor to put country before party.</p><p>Voting in the usual manner this November will likely be difficult because of the coronavirus. As a result, many people are voicing concerns about the integrity of the presidential election. There is a huge amount of spin and swirl about vote-by-mail, voter fraud, voter intimidation, disinformation and other tactics that are designed either to sway voters to vote (or not vote) or to cast doubt on the election outcome. </p><p>We must do everything in our power to ensure the reality and perception of a fair election. </p><p>As we have been lulled into complacency as consumers of politics, we have allowed the marketers to divide us. This divide harms us, our communities and our country. We need to be engaged and active citizens who demand more. Let's start with working to create a credible election process trusted by all. </p><p>Each one of us can opt out of the "war" between the presidential candidates and pledge our sacred honor to be the eyes, ears and conscience of our election process this fall. Our election officials need assistance in the form of election workers — some paid but largely volunteers. By becoming a good-faith election worker, you can help build trust in our election process and in each other. We can commit to each other that we will trust and verify the election.</p><p><p style="text-align: center;" id="sufn"><a style="font-weight: bold;margin:40px auto;font-size:2rem" href="https://thefulcrum.us/st/newsletters">Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter </a></p></p><p>Here are two ways you can do your part to build a safe election.</p><p>There will be a dramatic expansion of absentee voting and voting by mail this fall. Over the summer, local elected officials will plan how to process these ballots in a way that's healthy and safe. We can be the volunteers who assist election officials in mailing absentee applications, safely and accurately processing ballots, ensuring compliance with state law, and matching names and signatures with the voter roll. </p><p>This will create the system of checks and balances within our local elections offices to ensure the security and integrity of every vote and ensure that every legitimate vote is counted. </p><p>And in jurisdictions where people will still vote in person, we can encourage people who are less at risk to become poll workers, in Covid-19-safe polling locations.</p><p><div class="x12"><div class="htlad-Desktop_Content_Banner"></div></div></p><p>Who can volunteer, observe and work in elections offices and polling places varies by state. You can find yours <a href="https://www.workelections.com/" target="_blank"> here</a> with directions of how to start. </p><p>Nothing is more urgent. The integrity of our democracy is dependent on how well the voting process is administered this fall. We can ensure the integrity of the election if we do it together in a nonpartisan and/or bipartisan effort to ensure optimal vote-by-mail and safe voting at the polls this November. The best way to ensure the election is credible is to roll up your sleeves and help out. </p>
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"Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for president in 1872, with Frederick Douglass as her running mate," writes Debilyn Molineaux.
Want different politics? Pay attention to women like these.
Mar 15 2020
Molineaux is the co-founder and executive director of Bridge Alliance, a coalition of more than 90 civic reform groups. (Disclosure: The Bridge Alliance Education Fund is a funder of The Fulcrum.)
This is the third in a series of opinion pieces we are publishing during Women's History Month to recognize the contributions of women to the democracy reform movement.
Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for president in 1872, with Frederick Douglass as her running mate. While disparaged and trivialized at the time, she was relentless in pursuing equal rights and labor reforms. Many advances made in the early 20th century can be traced back to Woodhull's "radical ideas" from the 19th century.
Our lesson: Never underestimate the ability of women to transform our culture. One of the greatest strengths of women is transmuting their experience into something for the good of our larger human family.
<p>There are many women who inspire with their courage, tenacity and intelligence. Here are four of them.</p>
<p><strong>Jackie Salit</strong> </p><p>As she says in the preface of her book, "Independents Rising," politics is in Salit's blood. Her career as an independent began before it was cool in the 1970s. In fact, it was not talked about in polite company, but she did anyway. She has campaigned for independent candidates and fought for ballot access, voting rights and redistricting in more places than people can imagine. And now with 42 percent of registered voters not affiliated with a party, Salit leads <a href="https://thefulcrum.us/directory/independent-voting" target="_self">Independent Voting</a> with strategic vision and tactical street smarts that is bringing about a better America where we are all authentically empowered to be citizens, regardless of our party or lack of one.</p>
<p><p style="text-align: center;" id="sufn"><a style="font-weight: bold;margin:40px auto;font-size:2rem" href="https://thefulcrum.us/st/newsletters">Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter </a></p></p><p><strong>Zaneeta Daver</strong> </p><p>Now the COO of <a href="https://thefulcrum.us/civic-nation" target="_self">Civic Nation</a>, Daver is an educator, systems analyst and thinker with a side of curriculum development. In other words, she likes to be in the background, contributing with her entrepreneurial style and whole-human approach. Her career spans higher education and consulting, thinking about how we can become the multicultural society we claim to be. Daver has been a thinking partner in creating our shared future, influencing the work of Bridge Alliance (and therefore 100 organizations) in an understated or subtle way. Daver is an example of a powerful woman who doesn't need the spotlight to make a difference. </p>
<p><strong>Katherine Gehl</strong></p><p>Gehl was CEO of her family's Gehl Foods Inc. when she became concerned about the state of our country and used her business expertise to analyze what was wrong and how our politics could be better. This led to her researching and writing the 2017 report<a href="https://gehlporter.com/" target="_blank"> "Why Competition in the Politics Industry is Failing America</a>" with Michael Porter. This historic look at politics through a business lens is the undergirding to many of the democratic reforms being advanced today — including single-ballot, top-five primaries with ranked-choice voting general elections. Her insight into politics as an industry with unhealthy competition is a new way of viewing our system with a plan to transform it.</p><p><div class="x12"><div class="htlad-Desktop_Content_Banner"></div></div></p><p><strong>Mary Stanley</strong></p><p>Stanley was a mentor and often gruff friend to many women who ran for office for 47 years. She was a relentless supporter and helped get dozens of women elected. In 1971, she participated as a Republican in the formation of National Women's Political Caucus along with Gloria Steinheim, Bella Abzug and others. She changed parties after the GOP failed to support ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and removed reproductive rights from its platform, two issues she saw as essential for women's equality. Stanley was in constant contact with her elected representatives, building a relationship with each, one postcard, letter, phone call and visit at a time. She ran fundraisers, offered endorsements and was relentless in her advocacy for more women in elected office. The many she met selling buttons and bumper stickers at political events did not know she donated all profits to female candidates. She held fundraisers for Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein (who sent her birthday presents each year) and Karen Humphrey, the first female mayor of Fresno, Calif. Many women in office today owe their start to Stanley. She would be so proud of them. </p>
<p>What is the legacy we would leave for our descendants? Let's map the path and start. Together and with perseverance, we can create the future our children and grandchildren will inherit and write about. </p>
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