About ReclaimDemocracy.org

 


ReclaimDemocracy.org works to create a representative democracy with an actively participating public, where citizens don't merely choose from a menu of options determined by elites, but play an active role in guiding the country and its political agenda. We believe that one's influence should be a direct result of the quality of one's ideas and the energy one puts into promoting these ideas, independent of wealth or status.

We inspire citizens to make conscious choices about what role corporations should play in our society and to limit them to that role. We are a non-partisan, non-profit (501c3) organization and welcome the opportunity to work with all who share our goals. Learn more about our mission, vision, goals and values.

What We Do

  • Inform and Empower People

    Through presentations, editorials, single-issue primers, and skill-building workshops are all part of our outreach work. We serve as a resource for individual activists, groups, reporters, legislators, and the public. Central to our outreach is illuminating key pieces of our "hidden history" and the lessons we can learn from it, as well as offering concrete steps toward re-establishing citizen sovereignty.

  • Build Positive Alternatives

    Recognizing that political democracy is inseparable from economic democracy, we work to support the proliferation and success of small, independent businesses, cooperatives and employee-owned firms rather than increased dependence on absentee-owned chains. Our staff also went on to create the American Independent Business Alliance, to advance local organizing and has helped more than two dozen communities form local Alliances.

  • Work for Constitution-level Change

    While we realize the necessity of defensive struggles against corporate harm to our communities, environment, human rights and more, we strive to think and work differently. We believe that campaigns in which "victory" is defined as maintaining the status quo cannot produce needed systemic changes. We don't limit ourselves to "politically realistic" goals. Instead, we seek transformations that will require broad and deep public education and grassroots organizing on a scale not seen in decades.

    Ultimately, we aim to help drive a broad-based Democracy Movement that will effect at least three core legal changes--either through Constitutional Amendment or reversing Supreme Court precedent:

    1. Reverse the illegitimate precedent of granting Bill of Rights protections to corporations (see our Corporate Personhood page);

    2. Reverse the precedent of equating political spending with constitutionally-protected speech (see It's Time to Overrule the Supreme Court and our brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the pending case of Randall v. Sorrell for more); and

    3. Establish a constitutional right to vote (see A Missing Ingredient for Democracy).

    See our proposed Amendment language for all three.

  • Change the Language

    This is essential because we cannot win a struggle defined by corporate language. We work to expose corporate manipulation of public opinion, by correcting misleading language such as "free trade" to describe global governance by corporate rules or using "consumer" where citizen is the appropriate term.

    We aim to help lead the emerging Democracy Movement by framing issues from the perspective of citizens who take democracy (rule by the people) seriously. If you read closely, you will notice significant differences between the language we choose to frame issues and that of most other related organizations, but we're pleased to see progress in this realm.

  • Building a Grassroots Democracy Movement

    In 2004, we began a chapter program to develop community-level action and help build a truly grassroots movement. Chapters presently are active in Orange County, CA; Kansas City, MO; and a new state chapter in Alaska. Once we have funding to hire a chapter coordinator, these efforts will spread and grown rapidly.

Who We Are

ReclaimDemocracy.org was recognized by the IRS (pdf of pproval letter) as a 501c3 non-profit organization in October of 2001.

Our Executive Directors are:

* Steve Spanier, Irvine, CA, and
* Jean-Pierre Swennen, Laguna Niguel, CA

Our Board Members are:

* Jean Gore, Boulder, CO -- Past president of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
* Jeff Milchen, Bozeman, MT -- Founder
* Tim Nickles, Jackson, WY -- Independent business owner and activist
* Steve Spanier, Irvine, CA -- National Executive Director and President of our Orange County, CA Chapter
* Jean-Pierre Swennen, Laguna Niguel, CA -- National Executive Director and Director of our Orange County, CA Chapter

Much of our work is done by volunteers dispersed around the country. All chapter organizers are volunteers.

How We Are Funded

More than 90% of our funding has come from individual donors, mostly in amounts of $100 or less, supplemented by sales of cause-related merchadise. See our 2005 IRS 990 report (large pdf file) for details. Please contact us or call 406-582-1224 with any questions about our revenue or expenditures.

How You Can Help

You can be a part of creating deep and lasting change by supporting ReclaimDemocracy.org today. We have a demonstrated track record of making a national impact on a shoestring budget. With your support, we will become a national force in creating a Democracy Movement. There simply is no place where your contribution can yield more results than with ReclaimDemocracy.org. Our success depends overwhelmingly on individual supporters like you.

We do all we can to enhance individual's abilities to effect change personally and will gladly connect you with active working groups in your area or offer our help to facilitate personal action. Please consider making a tax-deductible Donation now to support our vital work (and allow us to continue providing you the unique and free resources we offer on this site)! Thank you.

If you are just getting to know our work, our Corporate Personhood, Primers, or Campaigns pages are good areas to explore further. We also have numerous opportunities to get involved directly as a volunteer. Questions? Feel free to contact us with any queries or comments.