Hello America,

This message is for pro-democracy advocates and post-partisan politicians working to form a more perfect union. It’s a pitch to bring coherence, solidarity, and visibility to our fragmented movement so that we can achieve systemic reform of the U.S. political system and make it truly representative of the American people.

For decades, we’ve known that our political system does not serve everyday Americans—it serves the wealthy and powerful. A Princeton study revealed an alarming truth: there is almost zero correlation between the policy preferences of the bottom 90% of earners and what becomes law, regardless of which party is in power. This is the direct result of big money controlling politics. It’s unacceptable, and 90% of Americans are paying the price—facing economic insecurity, diminishing opportunity, and a pervasive cynicism about the future. People are fed up, and we have every right to be angry.

Thousands of groups are already working to renew our democratic republic, but progress has been slow. It’s time for a unifying spark—a Reboot America Movement—to unite the fragmented democracy renewal space and capture the imagination of the American people. In this pivotal moment of rapid change, we have a unique opportunity to build a movement capable of enacting sweeping reforms within the next two presidential election cycles.

Here, I’ll outline the foundations of a big-tent movement, the three key pillars of organizations already fighting the good fight, and how we can unify our post-partisan movement around a Reboot America Pledge.

Foundations of a Big-Tent Movement

1. A Shared Narrative
We need a unifying story that validates people’s frustrations and transcends partisanship. This narrative must acknowledge that legal bribery has corrupted both major political parties and has broken our system—but also that it’s not beyond repair. We must name the villains: certain wealthy elites and special interests rigging our economy and political system for personal gain, and a media landscape that profits from polarization.

While anger and frustration are valid, this movement must ultimately focus on solutions. It must inspire with a message of hope, demonstrating that together, we are unstoppable. By breaking the corporate two-party duopoly with people power, we can chart a new path forward—one built on the shared values of everyday Americans.

2. A Unified Identity
Democracy reform groups, principled politicians, and civic innovators currently operate in silos, with little cohesion. To gain mass recognition and momentum, we need a single, unifying banner—a name everyone can rally behind. This shared identity amplifies our collective power.

Our suggestion for this name: The Reboot America Movement, or simply Reboot America.

3. Founding Principles and Documents
The foundation of this movement is not a specific set of policies but our core democratic principles and the democratic process. It’s about uniting around self-governance and doing the will of the people. These principles will guide us toward transformative policies that benefit the masses. This movement can speak to policies but we should be careful that our personal preferences don’t seep into the messaging–we can focus on the dozens of policies that already have a supermajority of citizen support–a policy platform that we can call the Peoples Agenda, or the Peoples Platform.

A cornerstone of this effort is the Reboot America Pledge—a commitment by representatives and citizens to uphold these principles. This pledge can serve as a founding document for our movement, a rallying point similar to the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Details of the Reboot America Pledge are outlined below.

The Three Pillars of a Reboot America Movement

This movement stands on three primary pillars, each doing essential work but currently facing challenges alone. By collaborating, we can spark a mass movement strong enough to drive the systemic change America needs.

1. Reboot Politicians
Reboot Politicians are candidates and representatives who take the Reboot America Pledge. They commit to principled leadership, systemic reform, and truly representing their constituents. These post-partisan politicians could run as Reboot Democrats, Reboot Republicans, or Reboot Independents, and many third-party candidates may join the cause as well.

This alliance of leaders across the political spectrum would offer the unity and common sense Americans crave. By 2026 and 2028, we could see a wave of Reboot candidates winning elections—including potentially the presidency.

2. Democracy Reformers
Democracy reformers focus on improving the rules of our democracy. Organizations like FairVote advocate for ranked-choice voting, while RepresentUs works to get money out of politics. Open Primaries pushes for nonpartisan primary systems. These reforms aim to foster competition, elect moderate candidates with broad appeal, and make third parties viable.

Without these changes, we risk staying stuck in a rigged system. But with them, we can unrig our democracy for generations to come.

3. Next-Gen Civics
Imagine harnessing the power of modern technology to bring democracy into the 21st century. Efforts like mobile voting, virtual town halls, and citizens assemblies could empower people to have a voice beyond election day. A single app—perhaps called People’s Voice—could combine these tools, giving Americans a platform for ongoing engagement.

We could even use artificial intelligence for good, helping identify consensus among large groups of citizens and enabling more informed policymaking.

The Reboot America Pledge

The Seven Commitments of the Reboot America Pledge:
These commitments lay the foundation for a new, people-centered movement. They’re a starting point, open to refinement by founding signees and civic leaders. Here’s what Reboot politicians will promise:

1. Reject Big Money Donations
Reboot leaders will refuse contributions from corporations and special interests, ensuring their allegiance lies solely with their constituents.

2. Champion Anti-Corruption Measures
They’ll advocate for robust anti-corruption legislation, like the Anti-Corruption Act, to dismantle the influence of big money in politics and create a government that serves all Americans

3. Advance Electoral Reforms
Reboot politicians will fight for reforms like ranked-choice voting, open primaries, and other initiatives that make elections more fair and representative—ensuring leaders elected based on merit rather than being propped up by anti-democratic election rules.

4. Engage and Listen to Constituents
They will regularly engage with and listen to constituents through town halls, surveys, and digital platforms, fostering open discussions on critical issues. This ensures their constituents’ voices are heard and their priorities shape legislative decisions.

5. Utilize Digital Democracy Tools:
We live in the digital age, and Reboot politicians will harness the power of modern technology to strengthen the democratic process. By using digital tools to gather insights and understand their constituents’ perspectives, they can serve more effectively, transparently, and in tune with the people they represent.

6. Do the Will of the People
While Reboot politicians may advocate for policies they believe in, they are committed to ultimately legislating in alignment with the consensus views of their constituents.

By signing this pledge, politicians differentiate themselves from the corporate establishment. Imagine a founding group of post-partisan leaders, from across the political spectrum, signing this pledge and making a joint press release—it would capture the attention of the media and the public, sparking a movement too powerful to ignore.

Stronger Together: Tying It All Together

By uniting our fragmented efforts under the Reboot America Movement and centering it on the Reboot America Pledge, we can become greater than the sum of our parts. This unified movement can:

• Bring focus and solidarity to democracy renewal efforts.
• Offer citizens a clear path to systemic change.
• Elect Reboot politicians who enact policies that tangibly improve people’s lives.
• Highlight and advance democracy reforms to unrig the political system.

A Call to Action

We need a 1776 moment—a renewal of the democratic principles that founded our nation. It’s our turn to advance the work of those who came before us and build a more perfect union.

This isn’t about starting something new. It’s about uniting the millions of patriotic Americans already fighting to renew our democratic republic. Let’s connect, collaborate, and create a truly inclusive grassroots movement capable of transforming the U.S. political system.

Together, we can turn the page on polarization, oligarchy, and this new gilded age. Together, we can ignite an American Renaissance.