51 Comments

I'm immensely grateful for your clarity, eloquence, and leadership. Someone has to lead this fight on its merits, and Democratic leadership seems both feckless and paralyzed. Great leaders are the ones who step forward, and you have done so.

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founding

hw, you said it best! I agree with you!

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founding

Mary, would you please consider letting your Substack subscribers help your Democracy Defense Fund by telling us how we can contribute volunteer-wise rather than just donating money? Thanks.

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Wow. I am beyond excited (and impressed). This is exactly what I have been waiting for!

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This is excellent. The Republican coup must be stopped.

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Apr 9, 2022·edited Apr 9, 2022

We desperately need more backing in Florida. It still truly is a swing state as state elections are decided sometimes by a few hundred votes. DeSantis won by .03%!!

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When I saw your announcement on Nicolle Wallace's show I signed up and donated immediately. This is such a great idea and exactly what we need in this moment. I'm so glad you decided to spearhead this initiative.

My idea is for us to share when candidates do great messaging in all corners of America to give the rest of us ideas on how to push our candidates to use those strategies. I really love what Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz did on the Senate floor yesterday where he called out Hawley explicitly. It was a sight to behold. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/08/brian-schatz-josh-hawley-ukraine-loudness-gap/. We need more of that from elected Dems in the House and Senate so they can create soundbites to use in campaign ads.

Very happy Good Human of the Week is coming back tomorrow!

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founding

Excited for this and the impact it can have. I appreciate everything you are doing to make a difference!

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Mary: i am so grateful for you and your decision to take the leadership in saving our democracy. You give me hope.

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DDF will succeed IF it finds top-dog ad people to create a down and dirty campaign targeting the women! 51% of the population, women have been the primary focus of advertising propaganda since the days of the iconic department stores and getting through to them... wives and mothers... young and old... will tip the scales of justice and save our democracy.

Ask Dolly to help. Ask Oprah. Ask Jane Fonda. Big $$! Those names, and YOURS, will get their attention, their trust... AND their vote!

And time is of the essence...

https://www.wral.com/political-ad-spending-surges-in-nc-boosted-by-outside-groups/20227187/

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I like what you said about the Roberts (Supreme) Court, how they have Dismantled the Voting Rights Act, passed in 1965. Many people I know, are sick and tired of politics and feel it is hopeless. That is the desired Outcome to the current strategy of chaos. People wonder how voter suppression and voter subversion is possible because we got the right to Vote a long time ago.

Showing people how there efforts matter and will be sustained is important.

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I'm in. Just donated. Time to fight.

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Mary walks her talk, and I for one am grateful.

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I applaud your willingness to stand up to your uncle and fight for the ordinary people and our currently fragile Democracy. As I read Too Much and Never Enough, I was amazed by your courage to come forward and set things straight on what Donald Trump is REALLY all about. You verified everything I suspected or felt in my heart. Thank you for standing up to him and doing what's right for our country. YOU ROCK!!!

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We just shared your announcement on Heather Cox Richardson's Substack today. It's important that we all share on our own little networks as well. It's a grassroots way of getting the word out to the right, receptive people who will join us. Thank you for all that you do. Democracy Defense Fund's concept is brilliant!

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Can we truly pull together these organizations to make the critical impact on the midterms that is needed? I've donated to several but would donate more if I could discern which can actually make a difference in getting Democratic voters to the polls. Thank you for helping in that effort.

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Thank you, once again, Mary! This is excellent! Saw your segment with Nicole Wallace and signed up (and donated) the same day! We are stronger together and this is an "all hands on deck" moment in time. We CAN do this! Vote Blue in 2022 (and beyond!) Also would like to pass along that Vote Forward is actively looking for letter writers to reach voters prior to the midterm elections. It's easy and effective (verified by their stats) and targets voters, in specific states, who may need to be reminded how important their vote is in any election. I've written hundreds over the past couple of years and knowing that, perhaps, I was able to remind someone that their vote is their voice, and when we vote our voices are heard.

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Thank you, Mary. I just donated and signed up. Good luck to us.

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founding

I donated and signed up last night.

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This is Great, sounds exactly like what is needed to defeat the current corrupt fascist GQP!

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We must save our democracy and vote blue on every ticket! Kick all of these traitors out of office 🙁

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The coup has an almost limitless amount of money. Those wealthy persons, whom 45 gave a significant tax cut, are more than willing to part with the money from the cut & a lot more. We need, & have before us a united, cohesive, & goal-oriented entity to accomplish our goals. Let us support it!

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I made a monthly contribution to Democracy Defense, but it showed up as ActBlue. That was not my intent. I am not sure what to do. Any ideas?

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I tried to contact #DemocracyDefenseFund, but can't find any e-mail or street address. I am becoming a little uncomfortable.

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Love this! Have you partnered with @SwingLeft ? They are too unsung for their efforts! Key state races/ congress/ senate focusing on what can be won, And not repeating the mistake of throwing millions of dollars away and races that cannot be overcome because the numbers just aren’t there yet.

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A list of partner organizations would be great--including Run for Something.

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DDF will succeed IF it finds top-dog ad people to create a down and dirty campaign targeting the women!

51% of the population, women have been the primary focus of advertising propaganda since the days of the iconic department stores and getting through to them... wives and mothers... young and old... will tip the scales of justice and save our democracy.

Ask Dolly to help. Ask Oprah. Ask Jane Fonda. Big $$! Those names, and YOURS, will get their attention, their trust... AND their vote! And time is of the essence.

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Go Mary! I can only imagine all the work this involves and so want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is EXACTYLY what we and the dems need. Especially liked that you will be focusing too at the local level, a strategy the GOP has been using and successfully for years. I'm signing up right now.

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Signed up for the Democracy Defense Fund and committed to a monthly donation! Thank you Mary!

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This is the best effort going right now! I sure hope that everyone that is able, will donate generously to help insure success! We are dealing with a three-alarm fire right now.

If we don't stop this far-right movement, we'll end-up just like Russia. Trump and his supporters will get their wish that they are building on lies and hate. We will all eventually be fed a steady diet of propaganda. All of the Republicans running for Senate and the Governor's seat in Ohio are out here lying in their campaign ads daily. Thing is; they aren't lies about their opponent or what they will do to help people. No, they are lies about the Democratic Party as a whole. It is a war against democracy. They are continuing what most Republicans have been doing; painting all the Democrats as weak on the border, conducting a war on energy causing the high oil prices, and taking-away their freedom with lock-downs. One is using the term; "liberal indoctrination". These are not campaigns on the right, instead, it is a movement! None of that is true, but I am sure far too many Ohioan's do not know that! Oh, and every one of them speaks to their support of Trump!

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Joined and donated done and done. This is an organization I'm proud to associate with. You never cease to amaze, Mary. Thank you!

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Bring back civics to the educational system. Most people have no clue about how government works. Very dangerous!

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The more that ‘funds’ and organizations are involved in saving democracy, the better our chances of success! Good for you!!!

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Thank You So Much Mary 🙏 I have been waiting for someone to do something about this for so long as the system seems rigged already in their favour with the legislatures. Your insight is perfect! #DemocracyDefenseFund

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As a Canadian I beg you please please stop the fascist GOP and their alt-right white evangelical ideology. Basically it's a fight between democracy and autocracy around the world. Ukrainians are defending their democracy with blood and bodies. We must defend it by getting the vote out!! Please PLEASE let's keep democracy strong around the world. Text, fax, register 5 people, drive people to the polls, support local candidates, run for a position yourself. Keep the Ukrainian people in mind when you think about what it takes to defending democracy.

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I love your plan. I think the Democrats haven’t effectively reached out to rural area and Blacks and other minorities. I appreciate everything that you are doing.

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I love it and am all in! I will donate. Is it feasible and are you interested in making DDF visible thru youtube videos? i would also love to see you on tour with the message! Dreaming big!

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founding
Apr 9, 2022·edited Apr 16, 2022

I'm having trouble typing but will do my best to say that I am certain that we must do this work. I'm not sure of the order of things, but I believe that there are many republicans who feel similarly in having slid into the background while some have become democrats. The takeover of their party was a shock. I believe we must present a very clear truth and advertise. Stay connected to the TV programs that support the truth. Although there are many distractions in the world right now, very important ones which we must deal with we must take this time to focus on the elections at all levels or we won't be fighting a viable process.

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Awesome idea! I just sent a donation and tweeted about it. Go Blue! Which is something I don’t usually say, because I am a MSU Spartan

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I advocated for this kind of action in "Remaking Democracy in America" in 2018 and before that with the Proposed Petition for Redress and Call to Action in 2011. Being a nobody political scientist specializing in political change movements, I had the right analysis and no one to do anything with it. We needed something like the Democracy Defense Fund then. As with any belated efforts we put into addressing climate change, this action now faces restoring healthy conditions on top of preventing more unhealthy conditions to take over. The last people I would rely on to defend democracy are leaders of the Democratic Party like Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton. They are the ones who did nothing to stand firm on democratic principles, rational governance, and their own policy positions in the face of the lies that got us into Iraq, the disingenuous negotiations on the Affordable Care Act, the reprehensible block of Merrick Garland's nomination, the sabotage of the Build Back Better bill, the deadly inaction when Covid-19 struck, and the continuous flow of garbage from the White House.

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Forgot to say that i live in Kansas. I just read that stephanie grisham has moved here!!

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Please support Laura Kelly in her bid to remain governor. Laura and I went to high school together for a couple of years and we are all supporting her as much as we can.

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Great idea! Some of the money should go to making Lincoln Project-style TV ads.

Good communication between everyone is a must.

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founding

Excellent. I look forward to being more active.

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YES! I love this idea too!

I also like Swing Left bc they have a strategic plan; I signed up for their "Blueprint" effort where we contribute quarterly & they allocate the $ to the races (candidates and on the ground efforts) that are most winnable and needed (swing states); I also work with Sister District (SD) in Portland & we're supporting through phone banking, post carding, and fundraising NC & AZ I think (SD has over 60 chapters in the US & are paired up with key states); they work at the state level getting vulnerable (but winnable) candidates elected into state legislatures --which is where the voter suppression & subversion is & could happen.

White suburban women voted for tRump in great numbers (majority I think -- fear for their children/eduction, GOP lies). We need to target them in particular! BUT the Sunrise movement & other young people could be targeted and energized; some say seniors should be a target as they consume A LOT of TV, vote in BIG numbers and there are slivers on the edges that could be persuadable.

At the end of the day not only will we have no Democracy, but we will have no planet either. I still think the Climate Crisis might resonate with more and more people going forward.

A Democracy Defense Fund = A DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. I always thought we should have Democracy Rallies (a la tRump -- get celebs involved, build energy & community with music, provide info, etc. (Taylor S, Dolly P, Joan B?, Springsteen, Mccartney (John Eastman is his brother-in-law I think -- yikes!), Ringo, etc., etc, etc. -- we flood the zone this spring/summer..with voter reg, "be-ins" , etc. This is ALL HANDS ON DECK AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX TIME!

Get Bloomberg, Melinda Gates, McKenzie Scott (Bezos' Ex) & other oligarchs to to help finance this.

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Thank you for starting this PAC and giving us a way to save our democracy. I know it is in trouble. We don't want to see it. But we must open our eyes and see what the other side has been up to for DECADES.

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Mary, I’ve been following you ever since your book about your uncle was published. It would have been totally understandable if you had decided to make that single book your only public statement about Donald because that was so powerful in its own right. But now, it is so great to hear from you more and more - your second book, this Substack, your podcast, and now this PAC. I will keep on following.

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I've been following you for awhile, also listen to your podcast and am very appreciative of your efforts at movement building. Your PAC has a very broad mission (there's so much than needs to be done). Want to donate--but would like info on the website about the PAC Board and staff first. Thanks!

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Joined & set up a monthly donation. We must keep the house! Expand the Senate!

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I also saw MLT's interview on Nicolle. It was outstanding, as usual. We will be donating shortly. In the meantime, all I can do is counter lies with truth and I'm doing that locally.

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Excellent Mary! I donated last night. Much respect and honor to you and thank you for your integrity. This endeavor speaks volumes and I am all in.

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