Democracy for America to discuss report Wednesday

The steering committee of Gettysburg Democracy for America (DFA) has launched a “Saving our Democracy” project and released a report, “A Reform Agenda for 2021,” supporting the initiative.

“DFA’s focus is to promote and protect democracy at the national, state, and local level and to support steps to rebuild our government and civil institutions from the damage done by four years of the Trump presidency,” the DFA release charges.

DFA’s steering committee issued a statement reading:

“Our democracy is under perhaps a greater threat now than it was over the past four years. As residents of Pennsylvania, we all have a unique responsibility. Pennsylvania is ground zero of the attacks on our democracy. And some of the most dangerous leaders of this attack are our local elected officials, who have supported moves to disenfranchise their own constituents. The election landscape could be very different by 2024. The DFA steering committee has pledged to do everything it can to resist these measures and protect our democratic process.”

The report includes local, state, and national issues such as rebuilding trust in the election system; identifying anti-democracy state legislative proposals and constitutional amendments; identifying existing practices that undermine democracy, such as gerrymandering, the filibuster, and the electoral college; supporting a proposed national civics education initiative and the proliferation of rural broadband; healing the racial divide; identifying local institutions that can promote democracy at the local level; and other political issues such as saving the post office, promoting racial justice and affordable housing, reducing the effects of climate change, and rebuilding the capabilities of the civil service and the federal government.

Members of the DFA Steering Committee are: Leon Reed, chair; Sandy Busche; Jeff Colvin; Jeanne Duffy; Carolyn George; Will Lane; Judith Leslie; and Denise Wood.

Gettysburg DFA is a local organization to encourage dialogue on public issues, build community by connecting local organizations and initiatives, and protect and strengthen democracy at every level, state, local, and national, according to the release. It was formed in 2005 and is not affiliated with the national progressive organization with the same name.

DFA will host a meetup on zoom Wednesday evening, March 24. People who wish to attend this zoom meeting may contact leonsreed@gmail.com for the link.