Issue One Action

Issue One launches national campaign to “Fix Politics Now” in the 2018 election cycle


  • William Gray

Note: Fix Politics Now is an initiative of Issue One Action. To learn more, visit FixPoliticsNow.org.

 

Nearly 200 Republican and Democratic former members of Congress, governors and Cabinet secretaries call on elected officials to join movement fixing the broken political system

Philadelphia, PA — Issue One, the premier bipartisan political reform organization in Washington, D.C., today launched its national campaign to “Fix Politics Now” and make solutions to dysfunction in Washington a top issue in the 2018 campaign. Following a first-of-its-kind event in Philadelphia, Issue One unveiled a declaration to fix the broken political system, with specific solutions, endorsed by nearly 200 members of its ReFormers Caucus of former representatives, senators, governors and Cabinet secretaries from both parties.

Throughout the 2018 election cycle, Issue One and its ReFormers Caucus will call on elected officials and citizens to sign the “Fix Politics Now” declaration, and be champions of solutions to restore accountability, transparency and integrity in Washington. For example, elected officials could, among other things:

  • Join the Congressional Reformers Caucus, a bipartisan group of Republicans and Democrats working together in the House on common-sense political reforms;
  • Support legislation to combat hidden foreign disinformation campaigns in our political system or protect the fairness of our elections by enforcing existing campaign laws;
  • Personally take action to end the pay-to-play system in Washington.

“In an age of rising authoritarianism, Americans have seen a deterioration of democratic norms and standards,” said Issue One President and CEO Nick Penniman. “Fortunately, it is not too late to right the course. There is hope for renewal, and solutions that Republicans, Democrats and independents can support. Issue One has recruited a veritable army of heavy hitters from both parties who are issuing the challenge to all of Americans to work together to fix our broken political system.”

“Voters are angry and ticked off. Americans are demanding moral and effective leadership,” said Issue One ReFormers Caucus Co-chair Ambassador Tim Roemer (D-IN). “With the launch of this campaign we are calling on Republican and Democratic elected officials to fight for bipartisan solutions to end the dysfunction on Capitol Hill, rather than embrace the broken status quo.”

“This campaign is a beacon of hope for voters around the country who feel hopeless that anything can be done to fix our political system,” said ReFormers Caucus Co-chair Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN). “Legislators need to be less concerned with how much money they are raising and more concerned about whether their constituents see them as part of the solution.”

“The 2018 elections will show that the country is tired of division and leaders who refuse to work in a bipartisan fashion to better the lives of their constituents and the country,” said ReFormers Caucus Co-chair Amb. Connie Morella (R-MD). “This campaign is the start of a necessary conversation about how we safeguard democracy for the next generation.”

“Fix Politics Now” was launched during a historic convening at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia, where nearly 50 Republican and Democratic ReFormers Caucus members pledged to rededicate themselves to solutions to fix the broken political system. The declaration was unveiled at the National Constitution Center (NCC) following a robust public discussion about restoring the Founders’ vision for American democracy in our own time. Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Joseph Ellis and Jon Meacham were joined on stage by former Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA) and former Congresswomen Marjorie Margolies (D-PA) and Sue Myrick (R-NC), in partnership with the NCC and its President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen.

Issue One is dedicated to working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress who want to end the dysfunction in Washington and return government to the American people. The “Fix Politics Now” campaign is an opportunity for all candidates for office to show Americans they can offer concrete solutions to bridge divisions in the country and begin fixing the broken political system.