Center for American Progress

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Restoring Social Trust in Democracy

Democracy is under attack at home and abroad. We must act to ensure it is accessible to all, accountable, and can serve as a force of good.

A voting rights activist dresses as "Ms. Liberty," August 2021. (Getty/Alex Wong)
What We're Working On

What We're Doing

Increasing representation and access to our democracy

All Americans must have trust in elections and election results. All Americans also must have unimpeded access to the ballot box. That is why national voting standards are so important, along with laws that would protect against interference with valid election results.

Combating the spread of harmful dis- and misinformation

Disinformation, whether about COVID-19 or elections, undermines Americans’ safety and threatens our democracy. We seek to define the government’s role in combating it, give recommendations to online platforms to stem its spread, and support robust local media that can counter its worst effects.

Building a new framework to regulate online services

Americans’ lives are increasingly reliant on online services and affected by their economic, consumer, and civic harms. A robust regulatory framework, paired with new privacy protections and reinvigorated antitrust action, is needed to address the threats these services pose.

Countering violent political extremism

Countering insurgent threats is critical to maintaining our democracy. As part of this work, we have crafted a national blueprint with the McCain Institute to end white supremacist violence. Our plan draws on expertise across CAP and from more than 150 conversations with a diverse range of stakeholders.

By the numbers

59

Gerrymandering shifted an average of 59 seats in the U.S. House from 2012 to 2016.

Source: CAP, “Voter-Determined Districts” (2019).

Voter-Determined Districts

1 in 10

42 senators, representing only about 1/10 of the U.S. population, can filibuster popular bills.

Source: CAP, “The Impact of the Filibuster on Federal Policymaking” (2019).

A thunderstorm passes over the U.S. Capitol building, July 2019. (A thunderstorm passes over the U.S. Capitol building)
The Impact of the Filibuster on Federal Policymaking

30%

The U.S. population has grown by about 30% since the federal bench’s last meaningful expansion.

Source: CAP, “It Is Past Time for Congress To Expand the Lower Courts” (2021).

A a statue of blind justice is seen outside the Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, September 2016. (Getty/AFP/Brendan Smialowski)
It Is Past Time for Congress To Expand the Lower Courts

81%

81% of voters believe tech companies have too much power and influence over politics and government.

Source: CAP Action, “Voters Support Enacting Stronger Consumer Protections Online” (2021).

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Reining in DHS and Restoring Accountability Upcoming Event

Reining in DHS and Restoring Accountability

Join a virtual discussion with the authors of five commonsense reforms to rein in DHS.

Marco Rubio’s Deal: Trading Venezuelan Democracy for Oil Article
Marco Rubio facing cameras across table

Marco Rubio’s Deal: Trading Venezuelan Democracy for Oil

Despite claiming to be a champion of freedom in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Rubio’s Venezuela strategy has traded a democratic transition for oil access for the United States, sidelining the opposition and preserving the authoritarian regime.

Frances Colón

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms Article
ICE agents detain woman on ground

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms

The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security is out of control, endangering the well-being and lives of Americans. DHS must follow the law and fulfill its role to enhance—not compromise—the security of Americans and the homeland.

Dan Herman, Allie Preston, Gréta Bedekovics, 5 More Ben Olinsky, Ben Greenho, Rosa Barrientos-Ferrer, Silva Mathema, Debu Gandhi

The TikTok Deal Leaves Many Questions Unanswered Article

The TikTok Deal Leaves Many Questions Unanswered

The TikTok deal encapsulates every abusive practice of the Trump administration—secrecy, unprecedented claims of executive power, and noncompliance with the law.

Adam Conner

Illiberal International: The Transatlantic Right’s Challenge to Democracy In the News

Illiberal International: The Transatlantic Right’s Challenge to Democracy

In a chapter published in the European Center for Populism Studies’ report “Populism and the Future of Transatlantic Relations: Challenges and Policy Options,” Robert Benson investigates the transatlantic dimensions of far-right political mobilization, tracing the networks linking populist and authoritarian actors across Europe and the United States.

European Center for Populism Studies

Robert Benson

Iran and the Limits of American Power In the News

Iran and the Limits of American Power

Andrew Miller writes in Foreign Affairs about what a U.S. military strike in Iran would and would not achieve.

Foreign Affairs

Andrew Miller

Making Sense of Iranian Protests and U.S. Response Past Event

Making Sense of Iranian Protests and U.S. Response

Please join the Center for American Progress for a discussion that will explore the significance of the protests and assess the implications of potential U.S. responses.

Online via Zoom

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