America Is Not a Democracy, But We Must Become One
The founders of this nation did many things, but establishing democracy was not one of them. That’s our job.
YES! Article archive
Democracy
In This Election, We Can’t Let Down Our Guard
There are some positive signs, but otherwise this is still the biggest trash fire of an election since… well, since 2016.
How to Stop a Coup
While keeping people focused on a strong, robust election process is a must, we also must prepare for the worst.
Generation Z Is Voting on Climate Change in 2020
Young voters are intimately aware that they will be forced to bear the full effects of climate change—and they’re voting with that in mind.
Can We Undo Trump’s Environmental Damage?
American climate policy can be salvaged, but environmentalists say action has to be swift and sweeping.
Vanessa Nakate: America Needs to Lead on Climate Change
The 23-year-old Ugandan climate activist explains what the U.S. election will mean for the future of the planet.
Black Voters Know Climate Justice Is Racial Justice
If climate activists invest in Black voters leading up to the election, they could be a crucial voting bloc in November.
Democrats Need to Be Pressured on Climate, Too
A first-time voter explains why this election is our opportunity to lead on the climate crisis—locally, nationally, and globally.
Vote Like the Planet Depends on It—Because It Does
Four more years of Trump’s anti-environmental policies will make it too late to change course. So come November, let’s turn this ship around.
A New Supreme Court Nominee Before the Election May Spark a Crisis of Legitimacy
With Trump and Senate Republicans planning to push through a successor to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it’s an open question if American democracy can survive.
Where the Election Can Go Badly—And What We Can Do About It
It starts with knowing how we actually elect a president, and what your vote really means.
Where the Post Office Goes, So Goes America
Trump’s war on the post office is primarily about cheating to win re-election. But it’s also part of the Republican Party’s long-term plan to destroy government.
What Women’s Suffrage Owes to Indigenous Culture
The example of gender equality in Haudenosaunee society gave 19th-century White women some big ideas.
Lack of Leadership Worsened the Pandemic, Not Young People
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, politicians from both parties are scapegoating youth—just as they’ve done before with crime and drugs.
Young Black Voters May Be the Key to a Biden Victory—If They Vote For Him
Surveys show that, rather than reflexively voting Democratic, young Black voters are pessimistic any Democrat can make a difference.
Kamala Harris and the Legacy of Black Women Running for President
Shirley Chisholm and other Black women have set their eyes on the Oval Office for 50 years. Now it’s within reach.
Biden Still Needs to Earn Our Vote
Earning the vote of Black American voters requires acknowledgment of our issues and proposed solutions in front of every audience—not just those flooded with Black faces. Without it, Trump can win.
The Secret to Corporate Power
Campaign finance is part of the problem, but have you heard of the “capital strike”?
SCOTUS: Trump Is Not Above the Law
We still likely won’t see his tax returns before the election, but the rule of law scored a win today.
The SCOTUS Electoral College Decision Is a Vote for the Status Quo
Electors thought they could vote their consciences in 2016. The Supreme Court just said “no.”
History Shows That Sustained, Disruptive Protests Work
What drives change isn’t majority opinion. It’s the ability of key participants to disrupt the system.
Voting Is Now a Public Health Issue
Voting rights have always been inconsistently applied. Now the coronavirus pandemic is threatening those rights even more, and activists are pushing back.
How the Supreme Court Undermined the Black Vote
Black Americans braved police violence at Selma and galvanized support for the Voting Rights Act. Fifty years later, the Supreme Court’s Shelby decision ushered in a new era of racially targeted voter suppression.
War Is a Poor Metaphor for This Pandemic
We need a different way to name the type of partnership between people and their government.
Basic Education Is Now a Constitutional Right
Although each state's constitution contains a right to education, state courts interpret these rights in different ways—sometimes to the detriment of children.
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