Progressives have for too long been speaking in a whisper. It’s time for their voices to be heard loud and clear.

The quiet patience — not to say somnambulism — of the left hasn’t entirely been to blame for their ineffectiveness. The marginalization of progressive ideas is, of course, part of a more pervasive and ultimately destructive process. And that is the incapacitating of the vast majority of Americans in their role as citizens in a self-governing democracy. This constitutional responsibility, the irrevocable mandate of government of the people, by the people, and for the people, has all but been eliminated in the current political environment. Big money shouts down the voice and negates the will of the common citizen, and a tiny elite of rich and powerful oligarchs now run the whole show.

Are we exaggerating?

Hardly. A recent study by Princeton University Professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Professor Benjamin Page, concluded that America is no longer a democracy.

This should hardly come as a surprise. We see the evidence all around us.

There are huge consensuses around a number of issues among American voters — agreement that spans the entire range of the political spectrum, Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives, Tea Party, Green Party — none of which ever get enacted into law. The country wants one thing, the Congress and White House do the opposite.

Which brings us to our current campaign, targeting the 2016 election.

At this stage . . . our #1 priority!

If we the people — the majority of hard-working, decent, tax paying citizens of this country — don’t take back control of our government, then everything else we want to accomplish is just wishful thinking. The days of trusting our elected officials to do the right thing are long past. We must demand  their compliance. We must demand their accountability. We must demand that they serve the needs of the voters who elect them to office.

In conjunction with other members of the NEAR Activist Alliance, our primary focus right now is the implementation of a strategy to take on and defeat the current system of pay-for-play politics.

It begins with a massive national referendum to determine exactly what the American people want done.

Next is the formulation of candidate contract, legally-binding agreements which spell out in precise terms what is expected of them if they are elected to office. These also stipulate massive financial penalties for breaching the terms of the contracts. The contracts can be formulated for individuals running for House of Representatives, the Senate, even for the presidential candidates.

Then every candidate running for federal office is presented with the contracts to sign. Each must decide whether his or her loyalty is to the voters, or to their deep-pocketed campaign donors — corporate CEOs, Wall Street bankers, the ultra-wealthy who regard them as their personal puppets and who have all but destroyed democracy in this country.

Voters are notified which candidates signed the contracts and which ones didn’t.

If neither major party candidate in a particular electoral race sign, an independent or third-party candidate who will sign the contracts will be identified.

Finally, it’s up to the voters. It’s up to them to require  their elected officials answer to them. Meaning, it’s up to the voters to only vote for candidates who have signed the contracts — the ones who have demonstrated their loyalty to their future constituents, who have guaranteed to represent the stated desires of the electorate, the candidates who are legally bound to go to Washington DC and do what the voters want them to do.

We encourage you to take part in this historic campaign.

Go to our sister site so that we the citizens of this nation get the government we deserve.

Help restore representative democracy to America . . . government of the people, by the people, for the people.

It begins by you letting us know what issues are most important to you.

It only takes a few minutes.

And you’ll receive a free copy of the NEAR Foundation book Vote Like You Mean It.