Raskin, Frost Launch Democracy Summer to Counter Voter Suppression

Democrats Build Future Leaders Amidst Voter Suppression Efforts

In a concerted effort to bolster democratic participation and counter rising voter suppression tactics, Democratic lawmakers Jamie Raskin and Maxwell Frost have launched and expanded the “Democracy Summer” program. This initiative aims to train a new generation of activists and campaign professionals, equipping them with the skills needed to protect voting rights and win elections in real-time, not just in theory.

Democracy Summer: A Program for Action

Democracy Summer, a program spearheaded by Representative Jamie Raskin, is designed to address what many in the Democratic party see as a critical need: building a strong bench of future leaders and organizers. “We’ve needed to do a lot better is build a bench and making sure that we’re building a bench early and often and that we’re teaching people how to run campaigns teaching people about what does it mean to protect democracy and actually giving them the tools to do it not just read it in a textbook but actually win the campaigns in real life,” stated a source close to the program. Unlike traditional internships, Democracy Summer extends beyond election years, emphasizing year-round engagement and the utilization of campaign resources for door-knocking and community outreach.

Combating Counterforces: Democracy vs. Suppression

The launch of Democracy Summer occurs at a critical juncture, with Democratic lawmakers simultaneously voting on legislation like the “Save America Act,” which critics argue promotes voter suppression. Representative Raskin drew a parallel to the historical struggle for democracy, citing Alexis de Tocqueville’s observation that “democracy and voting rights are either expanding and growing or they’re shrinking and shriveling away.” He asserted that the Republican party’s platform is “based totally on voter suppression, gerrymandering, disenfranchisement at this point,” underscoring the urgency of Democracy Summer’s mission.

A Curriculum of Civil Rights and Modern Struggles

The program boasts an impressive roster of speakers and educators, including Heather Cox Richardson, Larry Tribe, Tim Snyder, and Benie Thompson, who share insights on the historical civilizing movements that have expanded American democracy. Crucially, Democracy Summer also engages with contemporary legal experts like Marc Elias to discuss the ongoing legal battles to protect voting rights and dismantle barriers erected by Republicans. “One kid wrote on his evaluation when he was over, he said, in this program you get to not only change your life, you get to change the country at the same time. And it’s true,” a participant shared, highlighting the program’s profound impact.

Building a New Generation of Organizers

Representative Maxwell Frost, a key figure in Democracy Summer, emphasized the program’s unique approach, which combines online learning about democratic institutions with hands-on, in-person organizing. “It’s not just a fellowship or internship where we’re saying, you know, go do this job, we’ll see you later,” Frost explained. “It’s happened half their time online with other students from across the entire country learning about the institutions, learning about the flaws of the institution. But not just being spoken at, being challenged to think about what would you change? What do you want to have? What impact do you want to have on this country?” The other half of the program involves direct engagement with communities, knocking on doors, and understanding the daily concerns of constituents. This dual approach aims to foster “homegrown talent” and move beyond transactional campaign tactics to a more transformational model of local organizing.

Addressing Institutional Flaws and Future Governance

Drawing parallels to past initiatives like the Republican “Young Guns” program, which produced leaders like Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy, Frost highlighted the importance of understanding and engaging with governing institutions. He noted that while “Young Guns” fostered a generation of Republicans, the subsequent challenges of “governing” and navigating the establishment led to the dissipation of their initial fervor. Democracy Summer seeks to avoid this pitfall by not only teaching campaigning but also by encouraging participants to critically examine and propose changes to existing institutions. “We’re trying to grow this talent for the future campaigns, future campaign managers, organizing directors. So they have that knowledge of the institution but also have done the campaigning themselves as well,” Frost stated.

The Threat of Election Rigging and the SAVE Act

Both Raskin and Frost expressed deep concern over what they perceive as a coordinated effort by the Trump administration and the Republican party to undermine electoral integrity. Frost cited an executive order on election security, the appointment of election deniers to key positions within the Department of Homeland Security, and the SAVE Act as examples of this broader strategy. “The president and the current Republican Party apparatus, they know, because they read the polls, the president sees the headlines, he’s raging and he knows what he is doing is unpopular. And their goal, they are not looking to change what they do to earn people’s votes. They want to rig the system. That is the plan,” Frost asserted.

The SAVE Act, in particular, was criticized for its potential to disenfranchise millions of American women due to discrepancies in identification requirements. Raskin described it as a “poll tax” that would disproportionately affect women who may not possess the exact identification needed, forcing them to acquire passports, which many do not own. “The tariffs were a nightmare. The war is a disaster. They’ve got no program for the country other than disenfranchisement, voter suppression,” Raskin declared.

Forging a “Landslide” to Protect Democracy

Democracy Summer’s ultimate goal is to train young people not only to win campaigns but also to act as defenders of the right to vote at all levels of government. Drawing inspiration from historical movements like Freedom Summer, where young people confronted Jim Crow laws, the program aims to prepare participants to “build a landslide so big they won’t dare try and steal it.” The curriculum includes training on how to safeguard voting rights at federal, state, county, and municipal levels, ensuring a robust defense of democratic processes.

What’s Next for Democracy Summer?

As applications for Democracy Summer open, the program is poised to expand its reach and impact. The focus will remain on cultivating a new generation of engaged citizens and skilled organizers who can effectively counter voter suppression and champion democratic ideals. The success of this initiative will be crucial in the ongoing struggle to ensure fair and accessible elections across the United States.

Source: ‘What would you change?’: Raskin and Frost launch civic program amid Trump voter suppression push (YouTube)