Jason,
The other day, I asked for your feedback and advice to help get Operation Saving Democracy off to a strong start. First, I heard from several people who didn't believe the team and I would actually read through your notes. (Well, let the record show it wasn't some gimmick!)
Today, as the news gives us every reminder of just how high the stakes are, I want to share a few of your comments that really stuck with me:
David wrote: "The 2024 election will be a litmus test for our nation. If we turn back the Trumpist tide, we get another four years to try and right the ship; if not, I fear that our democracy is finished."
I couldn't have summed that up better myself, David. When I was younger, I was pretty confident that our country would find a way to figure it out no matter who won a given election. Not anymore.
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Wesley wrote us to say, "Your concept to bring together heroes is a good start. I think it will be most effective if it is inclusive of a broad range of individuals representing different political viewpoints. but with a common commitment to democracy."
Yes! That's the gist of our mission here: getting lifelong patriots to speak out and reach voters — not on a partisan level, but because they care deeply about the future of our democracy.
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Tim and Lucy raised an excellent point that might often get missed: "We are so appreciative of your team taking on these threats to our fragile experiment in representative government. It's a challenge for American career professional military folks to step away from that duty bound chain of command and perform the role of advocate for political protection of our Constitution."
I'm so glad you said that. The leaders of Operation Saving Democracy have spent their careers abstaining from electoral politics. The fact that they're speaking out now should tell you everything you need to know about what's at stake in this election.
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Ken in Virginia said, "Please do all you can to encourage and support the growth of a new generation of leaders who are primed to legislate and move this great nation forward, embracing the values our founders put forth."
I love that — there are several incredible organizations out there focused entirely on recruiting young people to run for office. (Check out Run for Something and New Politics, which both do amazing work.) At the end of the day, we're aiming toward the same end goal: embracing democracy as a fundamental value. I never thought I'd live to see where a major political party was friendlier toward authoritarians than their fellow Americans, but here we are…
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Mary wrote: "Our moral fabric has been seriously torn when duty to party has become more important than duty to country."
My motto has long been "Country Over Party" — it's not that we shouldn't have strongly held values and beliefs about how we should run this country. It's that, at the end of the day, we are all Americans first. One thing the leadership of this organization has in common is we've all taken an oath to defend the Constitution. It's that oath that brought us to get involved in this election.
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Finally, Jeanne wrote in with: "I have to start by saying 'I believe in you, Amy' and I have for a long time. I am so proud to be part of your team even though I cannot give as much as I would like to."
Well, you just made my day, Jeanne! They say politics can be a lonely business, but it's people like you that keep me going when things get tough. I am so proud to be on YOUR team!
And let me be clear about the last thing she said, because I don't want anyone to feel like they're not giving enough. I know I ask for your donations a lot. That's because we rely on grassroots donations to fund this operation. And hey, I'm extremely proud of that. (Most organizations like ours are funded solely by folks with deep pockets. That's not how we want to run this.)
But what truly matters isn't a dollar sign. It's a fundamental belief in what's worth fighting for. So yes, if you can, please do chip in to help build this new organization from the ground up. And if you can't right now, that's totally fine. I appreciate every gesture of support, especially kind notes like yours.
I loved reading through your messages. It's not too late to send in your thoughts on 2024 — just hit reply to this email and tell me what's on your mind.
Thank you,
Amy
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