Policy Thoughts

Democracy, Corruption, and Governance Reform

Campaign finance transparency and strict limits.
End dark money. Transparency International has found that countries with tighter limits and mandatory disclosures around political donations see less corruption and greater public trust. We need hard caps on donations, real-time transparency, and zero tolerance for shell orgs hiding donor intent.
Public financing of elections.
Stop making politicians dependent on donors. The Brennan Center for Justice shows that systems like NYC's matching funds program help reduce donor dependency, encourage more diverse candidates to run, and improve public trust in the process. If you want working-class representation, you can't keep forcing candidates to chase millionaires for survival.
Mandatory conflict of interest disclosures.
No more enrichment through backdoors. Public office shouldn't be a retirement plan for future lobbyists or asset managers. Officials should be required to publicly disclose conflicts of interest, whether real, potential, or familial, and recuse themselves when appropriate. No "blind trusts" that aren't actually blind.
Whistleblower protections and independent oversight.
Oversight only works if the people doing it are insulated from retaliation. That means fully independent Inspectors General, shielded budgets, and real legal protection for whistleblowers, especially those exposing internal corruption. According to the Open Government Partnership, these protections are among the most effective mechanisms for uncovering misconduct and preventing it in the first place.
Automatic sunset clauses.
Especially for emergency powers and surveillance laws. These tools are almost always expanded in crisis and left intact indefinitely. Regular, mandatory review forces public debate and makes it harder for exceptional powers to quietly become permanent fixtures. The Brennan Center for Justice has documented how presidential emergency powers, particularly under IEEPA, are routinely extended with little oversight and rarely rolled back, underscoring the need for formal limitations and accountability.
Right to information access.
You can't hold power accountable in the dark. The Open Government Partnership recognizes freedom-of-information laws as foundational to transparency. This needs to be elevated to a constitutional right—not a patchwork of state and federal opt-ins.
Digital Public Infrastructure.
Not to govern, but to elevate policy priorities and give the public a stake in shaping them. This means investing in open-source, publicly accountable tools that support voting, public comment, participatory budgeting, zoning feedback, and real-time service transparency. Tech should serve people instead of extracting from them. Inspired by vTaiwan, Code for America, and reinforced by the OECD's global analysis of deliberative platforms like LiquidFeedback, this infrastructure deepens democracy by grounding decisions in lived experience, public access, and transparency.
Term limits for Congress.
This shouldn't be controversial. Voters across the board support it. Term limits increase turnover, reduce entrenched political dynasties, and open up the field to new voices. It won't fix everything, but it removes the incentive to treat Congress like a permanent seat of power.
Fixed, staggered terms for federal judges.
Lifetime appointments were designed for a slower, less politicized era. Today, they encourage strategic retirements and confirmation warfare. Eighteen-year staggered terms, like those proposed by the Brennan Center, would maintain judicial independence while reducing the stakes of any single appointment.
Universal civics, media literacy, and systems thinking in schools.
Democratic resilience doesn't just come from strong institutions. It comes from an informed public that knows how to challenge those institutions when they fail. Civics shouldn't stop at naming the three branches of government. It needs to include media literacy, systems thinking, and practical tools for understanding power — who has it, how it's wielded, and how to fight back. The Open Government Partnership argues that civic education is foundational, and the Brookings Institution lays out how schools can foster real democratic fluency.
Strong federal election standards to protect access, equity, and ballot integrity across all states.
Voting rights shouldn't depend on what state you live in. We need hard federal floors—not ceilings—that guarantee things like early voting, mail-in ballots, same-day registration, multilingual ballots, and fully accessible polling places. States can do more if they want—but they shouldn't be allowed to do less, especially when "less" means purges, restrictions, and intentional disenfranchisement. Voting is foundational. No more letting bad actors chip away at access in the name of "integrity" while gerrymandering and closing polling places behind the scenes.
Make every vote count.
First-past-the-post systems are structurally broken. Ranked-choice voting or similar methods are already working in places like NYC and Maine. FairVote shows that RCV lowers negative campaigning, increases majority support, and gives voters real options instead of forcing them to pick the lesser evil.
Decentralize where it makes sense, but with strong federal minimums for equity and rights.
The best federal systems balance local autonomy with national standards. Research on intergovernmental systems shows that decentralization paired with clear protections allows local innovation without sacrificing fairness or accountability.
Lock-in protections against self-dealing.
Reforms like these should not be reversible by a simple Congressional vote. At minimum, undoing anti-corruption or voting rights laws should require a supermajority and a public referendum. It's a concept already used in other countries and in U.S. state constitutions. If you're voting to remove guardrails, the people should get a veto.

Restore Executive Order Boundaries

Executive orders were meant to clarify how the executive branch enforces existing law—not to invent new laws outright. But decades of abuse by both parties have turned them into tools of backdoor policymaking, bypassing Congress and concentrating power where it doesn't belong.

Transparency and Public Justification

Any executive order should require a clear legal rationale and impact statement at the time of issuance. The Brennan Center for Justice argues that transparency is essential to accountability and democratic legitimacy. Orders issued without clear statutory grounding or public explanation should be subject to immediate challenge.

Strengthen Congressional Oversight Mechanisms

Congress must have the tools, staff, and authority to review executive actions effectively. The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) outlines how congressional oversight—when properly resourced and enforced—acts as a critical check on executive overreach. Formal review windows for executive orders with significant budgetary or policy impacts would help restore legislative control.

Expand Judicial Review of Executive Orders

Unchecked executive orders often escape judicial scrutiny entirely or are given undue deference. The Cato Institute calls for stronger judicial willingness to review executive actions on their merits, not just on procedural grounds. Courts must be empowered and expected to challenge orders that stretch or distort statutory intent.

Healthcare

Healthcare is a right, not a product.
The U.S. is alone among wealthy nations in treating healthcare as a commodity. The result? Medical bankruptcies, delayed treatment, and a population more anxious about affording care than surviving illness. We need universal coverage—not tied to employment, profit, or geography. Medicare for All or a system with similar teeth should be the baseline, not a pipe dream.
Cap prescription drug costs and cut the red tape.
The fact that insulin—a drug discovered nearly a century ago—can cost hundreds of dollars in the U.S. is not an accident. It's the result of policy designed to benefit pharma lobbies, not patients. Countries with centralized negotiation systems pay far less. We can too.
Mental healthcare parity.
Treat mental health the same as physical health. That means funding, insurance coverage, and access across the board. It also means decriminalizing mental illness and making care available before people end up in crisis—or in jail.
Reproductive care is non-negotiable.
Abortion is healthcare. So is contraception. So is IVF. So is gender-affirming care. No more moral loopholes or provider exceptions. If you can't offer full-spectrum care, you shouldn't be licensed to operate in public health.

Civil Rights, Trans Rights, and LGBTQ+ Policy

Guarantee equal rights and protections for all Americans under federal law—no exceptions.
This should be the bare minimum: every person in this country, regardless of gender, gender identity, race, religion, or sexual orientation, deserves the same rights and protections. Not just in theory, not just on paper, but in practice—under federal law. That means you don't lose your rights crossing a state line. This isn't about overreach—it's about baseline justice. Once we lock that in at the federal level, we can start holding states accountable and pushing them to meet that standard, not slide below it.
Full legal recognition and protection for LGBTQ+ people.
At the federal level. No more patchwork of rights that vanish when you cross state lines. Sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression must be protected under civil rights law—employment, housing, education, healthcare, and public life.
Federal protection of trans rights.
Trans rights are human rights. That includes:
- Access to gender-affirming healthcare
- The ability to update documents to reflect identity
- Protection from discrimination in school, housing, employment, and medical settings
Enshrine privacy rights to protect bodily autonomy, medical decisions, and gender identity.
No one should have to justify their medical decisions to the state, their employer, or a school board. The right to bodily autonomy must be explicitly protected—including reproductive choices, gender-affirming care, and access to private medical records without forced disclosure.
Repeal discriminatory state laws targeting queer and trans expression in public spaces, media, and schools.
These laws are not about "protecting children." They're about erasing queer and trans people from public life. Book bans, drag bans, forced outing policies, and curriculum gag rules are modern-day censorship—and the federal government should act like it.
End state-level attacks on queer and trans people.
These aren't policy debates. They're moral panics weaponized for political gain. The federal government must act to block enforcement of laws that criminalize parents, target educators, or erase trans youth from public life.
Ban conversion therapy.
Period. It's torture dressed in clinical language.
Safeguard privacy and autonomy.
That means repealing laws that force medical disclosure, outing, or forced notification. Let people live—safely and on their own terms.

Economics & Working-Class Policy

Strengthen labor rights.
Repeal right-to-work laws and other anti-union legislation that undermines collective bargaining. Restore the right to organize without retaliation, pass the PRO Act, and raise the federal minimum wage to a true living wage—adjusted for regional cost of living. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a $15 minimum wage would raise pay for over 32 million workers and reduce racial and gender pay gaps.
Support for gig and contract workers.
Millions of workers are labeled as "independent contractors" but work under conditions indistinguishable from traditional employment—without benefits, protections, or bargaining power. The UC Berkeley Labor Center has shown how gig misclassification leads to economic instability and increased reliance on public assistance. This isn't flexibility—it's corporate liability offloading. Additional research from the National Employment Law Project shows that workers of color and immigrants are disproportionately targeted for misclassification. It's time to close the 1099 loophole, create national standards for portable benefits, and ensure everyone who works can actually make a living.
Tax the rich and close loopholes.
Rein in wealth hoarding through progressive taxation, enforceable estate tax reforms, and the closure of capital gains and offshore shelter loopholes. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that a stronger, more equitable tax structure could generate trillions in revenue without raising taxes on the working and middle class.
Public investment in housing, education, and green infrastructure.
We have the resources—it's our priorities that are broken. The Roosevelt Institute and Brookings Institution have detailed how targeted public investment drives long-term economic growth, increases mobility, and builds community resilience—especially in historically underfunded areas.
Prioritize maintenance over expansion in infrastructure funding.
Federal grants must stop subsidizing unsustainable sprawl. Instead, funding formulas should reward municipalities that maintain and adapt existing infrastructure before building new—especially in housing, transit, and public utilities. This reduces long-term debt and environmental harm.
Guarantee access to housing as a basic human right.
No one should be unhoused in a country with more vacant homes than people experiencing homelessness. Treat housing like infrastructure: fund public, cooperative, and nonprofit development; ban mass acquisitions by hedge funds and corporate landlords; and enforce tenant protections against eviction, discrimination, and rent gouging.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition and Eviction Lab document the widening gap between wages and rents, and how eviction disproportionately affects Black and brown communities.
UN Special Rapporteurs have long recognized housing as a human right—and the U.S. remains far behind global peers.
Support worker cooperatives and community-owned enterprises.
Capitalism shouldn't be the only structure for enterprise. Provide federal grants, loan guarantees, and technical support for startups and conversions to worker-owned co-ops, land trusts, and mutual aid organizations that scale. Prioritize these models in procurement and federal contracting. Studies from the Democracy at Work Institute show that cooperatives are more resilient, equitable, and rooted in local economies. Cities like Cleveland and states like Colorado have already piloted models that work. A future economy must include ownership without exploitation—and policy should make that viable.
Support small-scale, community-led development.
Establish federal microgrants for incremental infill—duplexes, corner stores, cooperatively owned services—that allow neighborhoods to grow organically. This reverses decades of zoning and financing that favored large developers over local residents.
Student loan debt relief and long-term reform.
Higher education should be a ladder, not a lifelong trap. Canceling student debt would disproportionately help Black borrowers and low-income households, while stimulating economic activity. Research from the Levy Economics Institute shows that widespread cancellation could boost GDP and reduce unemployment. But this isn't just about a one-time fix—it requires overhauling how we fund higher education entirely.

Abortion & Bodily Autonomy

Codify Roe nationally and expand beyond it.
Abortion access should not depend on geography or the whims of state legislatures. Federal legislation must guarantee the right to abortion care and extend protections beyond Roe's original framework to include the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare. Research from The Guttmacher Institute shows that states with fewer restrictions have better maternal health outcomes and fewer barriers to timely care.
End federal and state-level funding restrictions (like the Hyde Amendment).
The Hyde Amendment has blocked Medicaid coverage for abortion for decades, disproportionately harming low-income people and communities of color. KFF notes that lifting Hyde would expand access to essential care for millions.
Protect providers and patients from out-of-state prosecution.
States should not be allowed to criminalize care that is legal in other jurisdictions. Legal protections must ensure doctors and patients are safe from civil or criminal penalties for crossing state lines for abortion services. The Center for Reproductive Rights continues to track how interstate legal threats are escalating.
Safeguard access to medication abortion and telehealth options.
Mifepristone and misoprostol are safe, effective, and FDA-approved—but are under constant attack. Protecting access to these medications, especially via telehealth and mail delivery, is critical to maintaining reproductive autonomy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) affirms that medication abortion via telehealth is both medically sound and essential for care access.

Immigration

Pathway to citizenship.
Millions of people live, work, and raise families in this country without a secure future. We need a clear, fair path to citizenship for Dreamers, essential workers, and long-time residents. The Migration Policy Institute highlights the economic and community benefits of stabilizing these populations.
End family separation and detention-for-profit.
Private detention centers profit from locking up immigrants—including children. Family separation is trauma, not policy. We need to end contracts with for-profit detention companies and adopt community-based alternatives. Human Rights Watch and NIJC both show how these systems fail basic standards of care and decency.
Streamline the asylum process.
A just asylum system is not a loophole—it's a moral obligation. That means increasing staffing, reducing delays, and eliminating arbitrary caps. The American Immigration Council shows that most asylum seekers attend court and have strong claims when given a fair chance.
Fix legal immigration backlogs and bureaucracy.
Decades-long wait times split families, stall economic progress, and undermine trust in the system. Investment in modernized processing, clearer criteria, and increased staffing would help clear the current crisis. Cato Institute reports some categories of family-sponsored visas now have 20+ year delays.
Support local integration and protections for immigrant communities.
Sanctuary policies, local ID programs, language access, and legal aid infrastructure are vital for immigrant dignity and safety. Integration isn't just about border policy—it's about building communities where immigrants can live without fear. Urban Institute research confirms these programs lead to better outcomes for everyone.

Anti-Authoritarianism

Limit executive overreach.
The expansion of executive power—especially around emergency declarations, surveillance, and military action—must be reined in. Congress must reassert oversight, including time-limited authorities, transparency requirements, and clear statutory boundaries. Reports from the Brennan Center for Justice show how emergency powers have been repeatedly abused across administrations.
End qualified immunity and restore true public accountability.
Qualified immunity shields public officials—including police officers—from consequences when they violate rights. Ending it would allow civil suits to proceed and reestablish trust in justice. The Cato Institute and ACLU both call for its repeal as a bipartisan issue.
Demilitarize federal and local law enforcement.
Programs like 1033 that funnel military weapons into police departments have escalated the use of force in communities—especially communities of color. The Marshall Project and Amnesty International highlight how this culture of escalation erodes public trust and leads to more violence, not safety.
Ban predictive policing and biased surveillance tech.
Predictive policing isn't just flawed—it's built on a foundation of racial profiling and junk science. Algorithms trained on arrest data replicate historical biases, concentrating surveillance and enforcement in already over-policed communities. Research from Upturn shows these systems don't actually reduce crime—but they do entrench racialized policing patterns. Georgetown's Center on Privacy & Technology also warns that facial recognition systems misidentify people of color at far higher rates. These tools are being deployed in schools, public housing, and protests—without oversight. We don't need "smarter" surveillance—we need policy that centers civil rights.
Defend whistleblowers, independent journalism, and open records access.
Whistleblowers are often the last line of defense against government abuse—and they've been targeted for it. Journalists face surveillance, legal harassment, and restriction of access to critical information. The Government Accountability Project and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press highlight the need for strong legal protections and transparency mandates at every level.

Human Rights & International Accountability

Strengthen and expand the Leahy Laws to all U.S. aid and military cooperation.
Current human rights vetting only covers about 20% of U.S. security assistance, leaving massive loopholes in arms sales and training programs. According to Congressional Research Service analysis, the State Department processed only 6 Leahy Law violations in FY2022 despite documented abuses by recipients of U.S. aid. Human Rights Watch documents how military units committing extrajudicial killings continue receiving U.S. support through legal workarounds. Expand vetting to cover all security cooperation, create independent monitoring mechanisms, and require public reporting on violations and responses.
End U.S. obstruction of international accountability and rejoin the International Criminal Court.
The U.S. undermines global justice by sanctioning ICC prosecutors and refusing cooperation when investigations target allies. President Biden's sanctions on ICC officials investigating war crimes remain in place as of 2025, sending a message that justice depends on political convenience. The Coalition for the ICC notes that 123 countries have joined the Rome Statute while the U.S. remains isolated alongside nations like Russia and China. Ratify the Rome Statute, lift ICC sanctions, and demonstrate that the U.S. supports accountability for all war criminals, not just enemies.
Enforce Geneva Conventions and protect civilian populations in all conflicts.
U.S. allies routinely violate international humanitarian law with minimal consequences. The UN documented over 24,000 civilian casualties in Gaza by early 2024, with strikes on hospitals, schools, and refugee camps using U.S.-supplied weapons. International Committee of the Red Cross standards are clear: targeting civilian infrastructure and creating "safe zones" only to attack them later are war crimes. The U.S. must immediately suspend military aid to any recipient that systematically targets civilians, regardless of strategic relationships.
Reform the Arms Export Control Act to prioritize human rights over profits.
U.S. arms sales reached $117.9 billion in FY2024, with major recipients including governments that suppress dissent and commit atrocities. SIPRI data shows American weapons in conflicts causing massive civilian casualties, yet sales continue with minimal oversight. The SAFEGUARD Act introduced in Congress would require human rights impact assessments for all arms sales over $14 million—but hasn't advanced due to defense industry lobbying. Pass comprehensive arms export reform with binding human rights conditions and independent monitoring.
Restore robust democracy promotion and civil society support globally.
Decades of inconsistent commitment to democracy promotion have left civil society organizations worldwide vulnerable to authoritarian crackdowns. The National Endowment for Democracy's budget remains inadequate while authoritarian governments systematically dismantle independent media and civil society. Freedom House's 2024 report documents the 18th consecutive year of global democratic decline, with particular threats to civil society organizations. Carnegie Endowment analysis shows how inconsistent U.S. support undermines democratic movements when they need it most. Dramatically increase funding for independent civil society, protect activists from retaliation, and condition bilateral relationships on space for democratic opposition.
Defend press freedom and journalist safety as core foreign policy priorities.
2024 was the deadliest year for journalists in a decade, with over 100 killed worldwide—many by U.S.-supported forces or allies. Reporters Without Borders documents systematic targeting of media workers in conflict zones where the U.S. provides military aid. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that authoritarian U.S. partners like Egypt and Saudi Arabia continue jailing reporters with no American consequences. Create a Global Press Freedom Fund, impose visa restrictions on officials who target journalists, and make media freedom a binding condition for all security partnerships.
Support legitimate resistance to oppression while maintaining clear human rights standards.
The U.S. has historically supported resistance movements when convenient (Afghan mujahideen, Nicaraguan contras) while condemning similar movements when they challenge allies. Geneva Convention Article 1 recognizes the right of peoples to resist occupation and colonization, but resistance movements must also comply with international humanitarian law. Brookings Institution research shows that applying consistent human rights standards to all actors—state and non-state—reduces civilian casualties and strengthens legitimacy. Support resistance against oppression while demanding compliance with civilian protection norms from all parties.
Create enforceable consequences for systematic human rights violations by U.S. partners.
Current "consequences" are largely symbolic—statements of concern, temporary aid delays, or behind-the-scenes pressure that fails to change behavior. Egypt has received over $80 billion in U.S. aid since 1979 while systematically torturing dissidents and disappearing activists, with no meaningful reduction in support. Human Rights Watch's 2024 Egypt report documents intensifying repression despite continued U.S. military aid. Establish graduated response mechanisms: first offense triggers aid review, repeated violations result in suspension, systematic patterns lead to complete termination and sanctions. Human rights cannot be subordinated to geopolitical convenience.
End the "do as we say, not as we do" approach to international law.
U.S. credibility on human rights is undermined by exempting itself from international oversight while demanding compliance from others. The U.S. has not ratified key treaties like the Convention on the Rights of the Child, maintains Guantanamo Bay despite international condemnation, and refuses ICC jurisdiction while demanding other countries cooperate with international justice. Human Rights Watch analysis shows how this double standard weakens American influence and emboldens authoritarians worldwide. Lead by example: ratify core human rights treaties, submit to international oversight, and demonstrate that no country—including the U.S.—is above the law.
Prioritize prevention over reaction in atrocity prevention.
The U.S. consistently fails to act on early warning signs of mass atrocities, then responds with ineffective measures after thousands are dead. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center has developed sophisticated early warning systems, but political will to act on their assessments remains absent. Refugees International analysis shows the State Department's Atrocity Prevention Board lacks authority and resources to drive policy changes. Create an independent Atrocity Prevention Agency with Cabinet-level authority, dedicated funding, and the power to trigger automatic sanctions when genocide indicators appear.

Foreign Policy

End endless wars.
Military intervention must be the last resort—not the default. That includes repealing outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) and establishing strict sunset provisions on any future authority. Win Without War and the Quincy Institute advocate for foreign policy grounded in diplomacy, not perpetual conflict.
Support democratic movements, not just regimes we like.
U.S. foreign policy too often props up authoritarian governments when it serves "strategic interests." We must realign our aid and alliances around democratic legitimacy, human rights, and civil society—not extractive relationships. Freedom House provides annual assessments showing U.S. inconsistencies in applying democratic principles abroad.
Reassert congressional war powers.
Endless conflicts abroad have been waged with minimal public debate and zero congressional accountability. Congress must reassert its constitutional authority to authorize war—and revoke open-ended permissions. The Brennan Center and Just Security provide frameworks for how this can be done.
Shift funding from weapons contractors to global aid and diplomacy.
U.S. foreign assistance is dwarfed by defense spending—yet studies consistently show diplomacy and development prevent conflict more effectively than bombs. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Security Assistance Monitor track how skewed our priorities remain.
Refocus foreign policy on climate, human rights, and global cooperation—not extraction and military dominance.
From the climate crisis to pandemics to economic shocks, global cooperation is not a soft option—it's a survival requirement. Real leadership means prioritizing environmental agreements, international labor standards, and multilateral institutions. The Council on Foreign Relations and UNDP both emphasize that sustainability and human rights must replace domination as core foreign policy pillars.

Public Safety

Modernize water systems and guarantee safe, affordable access.
Replace lead service lines, regulate PFAS contamination, and ban water shutoffs for inability to pay. Clean water is a human right. NRDC and EPA reports confirm widespread risk in underserved areas.
Require Complete Streets standards in all federally funded transportation projects.
Federal dollars should only go to road projects that are safe for everyone—not just cars. That means sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, ADA access, and street trees. Cities that prioritize livability should be rewarded, not penalized.
Build infrastructure to survive the century, not the last one.
Prioritize climate resilience in every federal infrastructure project—stormwater management, heat-adapted buildings, fire-safe community design, and decentralized energy. FEMA alone isn't enough. Rebuild by Design and FEMA's BRIC program provide blueprints for infrastructure that protects before disaster strikes.
Universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods.
Over 80% of Americans support universal background checks, yet loopholes persist in private and gun show sales. Implementing federal waiting periods has been shown to reduce both gun homicides and suicides. A Harvard Injury Control Research Center review supports both as effective violence prevention tools.
Red flag laws with strong due process protections.
Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a threat—but they must be implemented with rigorous due process and oversight. RAND Corporation finds red flag laws can reduce firearm suicides and mass shooting risk when well-designed.
Ban civilian ownership of weapons designed purely for mass lethality (e.g., bump stocks, auto-sear kits).
These devices are not for self-defense or sport—they're engineered for rapid-fire destruction. Following the Las Vegas mass shooting, even the Trump administration banned bump stocks. Expanding this logic to cover other conversion kits is supported by policy reviews from Giffords Law Center and law enforcement groups.
National gun safety licensing, similar to car ownership—training, registration, responsibility.
Treat guns like cars: require training, renewal, insurance, and accountability. Licensing has been shown to reduce gun deaths, particularly in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions finds it's among the most effective strategies we have.
Rural and recreational gun ownership is not the issue—mass shootings and political violence are. Treat them as public health crises.
The CDC, American Medical Association, and American Public Health Association all classify gun violence as a public health crisis. This isn't about demonizing lawful gun owners—it's about preventing political extremism, domestic terrorism, and preventable tragedy. Research from RAND and Johns Hopkins shows the most effective strategies focus on access, lethality, and behavioral risk—not blanket bans that alienate rural communities and reduce trust.

Education & Critical Capacity

National curriculum standards in civics, media literacy, systems thinking, and climate literacy.
To safeguard democracy and equip future generations for systemic challenges, students need more than test prep. The Brookings Institution and OECD recommend curricula focused on real-world reasoning, information discernment, and ecological systems thinking.
Fund public schools equitably and break the zip code trap.
No child's future should be determined by their address. Tying K–12 school funding to local property taxes guarantees that wealthier neighborhoods get more resources, while low-income areas struggle with overcrowded classrooms and outdated materials. States must restructure funding formulas to ensure baseline support regardless of local wealth. Reports from EdBuild and the Education Law Center document how this system entrenches racial and economic inequality—disproportionately affecting Black, Latino, and rural students.
Fund school facility modernization and resilience.
Replace crumbling, toxic, or unsafe school buildings with healthy, energy-efficient, and fully accessible facilities—especially in historically underfunded districts. GAO reports show over half of U.S. school districts need major repairs, while climate resilience efforts remain deeply uneven.
Make higher education a public good, not a privilege.
Community colleges and public universities are engines of mobility, but spiraling tuition and austerity budgets have locked too many people out. Fully fund tuition-free community college and expand support for public four-year institutions—especially those serving marginalized populations. Research from the Lumina Foundation shows that increased public investment leads to better completion rates and workforce outcomes. The National College Attainment Network further emphasizes that affordability, support services, and institutional stability are key to closing equity gaps.
End structural barriers to opportunity.
Students in underfunded districts face challenges that go beyond test scores—lack of broadband, transportation, food, or safe space to study. True equity means wraparound services: free meals, school-based mental health, access to arts and enrichment, and safe, well-maintained facilities. The Learning Policy Institute and Economic Policy Institute both find that long-term academic success depends on holistic investment—not just test prep and funding formulas.
Fund public art, cultural access, and inclusive civic space.
Public culture is part of public health. Expand national funding for the arts, community storytelling, music, museums, libraries, and gathering spaces. Guarantee free and accessible cultural access in every ZIP code—especially underserved rural and urban neighborhoods. The NEA and Americans for the Arts show how investment in cultural infrastructure strengthens democracy, economic resilience, and community well-being. A culture that values curiosity over cruelty requires investment. Beauty, creativity, and shared experience are not luxuries—they're foundations of civic life.
Cancel the culture wars—let educators teach facts, not political fiction.
Politically motivated curriculum bans erode trust in public education and chill honest discourse. Support teacher expertise, uphold historical accuracy, and remove ideological gag rules. PEN America tracks legislative attacks on classroom freedom and their impact on students and educators alike.
Give towns the tools to see their own budgets.
Fund open-source platforms that help cities map long-term infrastructure liabilities, revenue gaps, and development ROI. This empowers communities to make smart land use decisions and break cycles of unsustainable growth.

Climate and Environment

End fossil fuel subsidies and reinvest in sustainable energy.
The U.S. spends billions annually propping up fossil fuels—public money that could accelerate renewables, storage, and infrastructure. The IMF and IEA both call for ending fossil subsidies to meet climate goals.
Just transition for workers and frontline communities.
Transitioning off carbon must include guarantees for workers—union jobs, retraining, wage protection—and community-directed investment in regions long exploited by industry. The Just Transition Fund and BlueGreen Alliance offer models for federal-local partnerships grounded in economic justice.
Build a smart, renewable-ready energy grid.
Upgrade transmission infrastructure to handle decentralized renewable generation, battery storage, and grid resilience. Prioritize publicly accountable utilities over investor-owned models. The Department of Energy and Rocky Mountain Institute support regional coordination and high-voltage lines as critical climate infrastructure.
Hard caps on corporate pollution and environmental harm.
Carbon pricing alone is not enough—companies must face enforceable limits on emissions, toxins, and ecosystem destruction. The EPA must be empowered to act without political interference, and cumulative impact assessments should be required. Research from NRDC and Environmental Defense Fund supports both aggressive caps and enforcement as key to meaningful change.
Invest in national high-speed rail and regional transit connectivity.
The U.S. lags far behind in efficient, clean, intercity transportation. Federal investment must prioritize electrified high-speed rail corridors, upgrade local transit systems, and mandate state partnerships to expand access. This reduces emissions, sprawl, and economic isolation—while creating thousands of union jobs. The Economic Policy Institute supports mass transit investment as a high-multiplier stimulus with long-term returns.

Technology and AI

Pilot guaranteed income programs and income floor policies.
The idea that work equals worth is a lie when people are doing everything right and still falling short. Support guaranteed income pilot programs, direct monthly cash for vulnerable populations, and explore income floor policies like child allowances and senior stipends. Results from Stockton's SEED program, Magnolia Mother's Trust, and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income show improved mental health, stability, and job retention. This is about building a society where surviving isn't a full-time job—and where people have the breathing room to live, not just scramble.
Ban algorithmic bias in decision-making systems.
AI tools used in hiring, policing, housing, and healthcare often replicate racial, gender, and class bias. Federal standards must require transparency, auditability, and accountability. AI Now Institute and Brookings both advocate for strict oversight mechanisms.
Break up tech monopolies and curb surveillance capitalism.
A handful of companies control critical infrastructure, data pipelines, and information access. Enforce anti-trust law, require interoperability, and ban non-consensual data harvesting. The Federal Trade Commission and Electronic Frontier Foundation support stronger action against corporate consolidation and mass tracking.
Enshrine digital privacy as a fundamental right.
Require opt-in data sharing, ban location and biometric tracking without a warrant, and create federal standards for consent and deletion. The ACLU and Privacy International frame digital privacy as a 21st-century civil rights issue.

Criminal Justice Reform

End cash bail and pretrial detention based on wealth.
People should not be jailed simply because they're poor. Bail reform has been shown to reduce incarceration without increasing crime, when paired with court notification systems and support services. Prison Policy Initiative and The Bail Project provide models for reform.
Decriminalize poverty and reduce the footprint of incarceration.
From unpaid fees to minor probation violations, the system punishes people for being poor. We need to scale back mandatory minimums, eliminate three-strikes laws, and divert low-level offenses entirely. Vera Institute outlines a roadmap for sustainable decarceration.
Fund alternatives to policing.
This isn't about defunding the police—it's about reallocating resources to the right tools for the situation. Not every call requires an armed response. Mental health crises, wellness checks, substance-related incidents, and housing insecurity demand trained professionals, not escalation. Programs like CAHOOTS and Advance Peace show how community-based crisis teams can reduce harm, free up police for actual crime response, and build real public safety.
Restore voting rights and dignity for formerly incarcerated people.
No one should lose their voice in democracy permanently. Nearly 5 million Americans are disenfranchised due to felony convictions—many of whom have already served their time. That number includes disproportionate shares of Black and brown citizens, especially in the South. According to the Sentencing Project, these policies are a direct legacy of Jim Crow. States that have restored voting rights show no negative impact on public safety or election integrity. The Brennan Center for Justice has outlined state-level models that restore rights automatically, reduce recidivism, and strengthen civic reintegration. Voting is not a privilege. It's a baseline for dignity.

Rural Policy and Broadband

Universal rural broadband access.
Broadband isn't a luxury—it's infrastructure. In too many rural areas, slow or nonexistent internet cuts people off from work, education, healthcare, and civic participation. Fund rural broadband the same way we once funded rural electrification: as a national necessity. Pew Research Center and FCC mapping show persistent access gaps, especially in Indigenous and low-income rural communities.
Sustain and diversify rural economies.
Extractive industries and agribusiness monopolies have hollowed out rural job markets. Support co-ops, local food systems, small-scale manufacturing, and regenerative agriculture. Expand access to credit, transit, and healthcare to support long-term stability. Groups like Rural Democracy Initiative and HEAL Food Alliance offer grounded blueprints. Worker co-ops—supported elsewhere in this platform—are a critical component of sustainable rural economies.
Favor local and cooperative ownership in federal contracts.
Require federal grant recipients—especially in housing, recovery, and infrastructure—to contract with local or mission-aligned businesses. That keeps wealth in communities instead of funneling it to national chains or absentee developers.
Close the rural services gap.
Rural communities aren't just underfunded—they're actively being abandoned. Since 2010, over 150 rural hospitals have closed, with hundreds more on the brink. According to the Chartis Center for Rural Health, these closures correlate directly with higher mortality and lower life expectancy. Add in shuttered post offices, school consolidations, and disappearing broadband infrastructure, and it's clear: these are not just service gaps—they're structural betrayals. USPS Inspector General reports show that rural delivery cuts disproportionately impact low-income and Indigenous communities. Rebuilding rural America means treating services like hospitals, transit, and communications as rights—not conveniences.

Disability Rights and Accessibility

Full federal funding and enforcement of the ADA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed over 30 years ago—but underfunding and lack of enforcement have made many of its promises hollow. Fund implementation and modernize standards to address digital access, long COVID, and evolving needs.
Universal design in public policy.
Stop treating accessibility as an afterthought or accommodation request. Whether it's housing, transit, education, or emergency planning, build systems that work from the start for disabled people. Universal design helps everyone, and World Health Organization research supports this as best practice.
End subminimum wages and guarantee economic justice.
It is still legal in many states to pay disabled workers as little as $2.00/hour under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act—a policy that dates back to 1938. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that this practice is exploitative, economically unnecessary, and reinforces harmful assumptions about capability. Over a dozen states have already banned subminimum wages without any negative employment effects. The National Disability Rights Network calls it a civil rights failure that traps workers in segregated, low-expectation labor. It's time to end it and replace it with real jobs, at real wages.
Expand access to care, community, and autonomy.
Fund home- and community-based services (HCBS). Support caregivers. Streamline access to assistive tech and mobility devices. People with disabilities deserve independent lives—not endless bureaucratic barriers. The Arc and Autistic Self Advocacy Network offer clear, person-centered models.