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Democracy for America
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== Political positions == {{Progressivism}}Democracy for America's status on various social and economic issues places the organization strongly on the [[left-wing politics|left]] of the [[Politics of the United States|American political spectrum]]. Although they often endorse and advocate for [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] candidates, DFA is also to the left of many national and state Democratic lawmakers. In 2006, the group supported [[Ned Lamont]] over Sen. Joseph Lieberman in [[United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2006|Connecticut's primary and general elections]].<ref>{{ Citation | last=Nichols | first=John | title=No to Pro-War Democrats | publisher=The Nation | date=April 20, 2006 | url =http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/nichols | access-date = 2009-07-13 }}</ref> DFA also supported [[Carol Shea-Porter]] in her Democratic primary and [[United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire, 2006|general election victory]]<ref>{{ Citation |last = Alarkon |first = Walter |title = Shea-Porter Beats Bradley |publisher = Concord Monitor |date = November 8, 2006 |url = http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061108/REPOSITORY/611080363 |access-date = 2009-07-13 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121105150927/http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20061108%2FREPOSITORY%2F611080363 |archive-date = November 5, 2012 }}</ref> in [[New Hampshire's 1st congressional district]]. In 2008, the group supported [[Donna Edwards]] of [[Maryland's 4th congressional district]].<ref>{{ Citation | last=Merida | first=Kevin | title=On an Icy Day A Challenger Wins Her Heated Contest | newspaper=Washington Post | date=February 13, 2008 | url =https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021203057_pf.html | access-date = 2009-07-13 }}</ref> During the [[2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota|2008 Minnesota Senate election]] between [[Norm Coleman]] and [[Al Franken]], Democracy for America aligned themselves with the [[Progressive Change Campaign Committee]] and called their campaign "Donate a Dollar a Day to Make Norm Go Away."<ref name="DOD">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHU2e6OR1o0|title=Norm Meets "Dollar a Day" Campaign|last=BoldProgressives|date=18 May 2009|via=YouTube}}</ref> Coleman lost to Franken following an official state-wide recount.<ref name="MN">{{cite web|url=https://services.myngp.com/NGPOnlineServices/RedirectPage.aspx?Y=V%2f7FzMjOcK31BMkUYEfMEtEmgCZGFHp%2bY79N4DHwx1Bph5J2NX8B2fIjaA2XdvHMmizQdPfhIDc%3d|title=Status|website=services.myngp.com}}</ref> === Domestic issues === Before creating this PAC, the group's founder, [[Howard Dean]], who already possessed a considerable platform, had strongly campaigned in favor of [[universal health care]]. Therefore, the DFA's first major campaign after the 2008 presidential election focused mainly on this issue, standing in support of universal healthcare. In 2011, DFA's main issue of interest was the rights of company employees, which was campaigned for, among other things, by promoting unions. DFA, [[Progressive Change Campaign Committee]] (or PCCC), and several other organizations with lesser contribution levels, combined funds to spend $2.2 million canvassing about these issues, including phone calls, door-to-door campaigning, and TV ads. DFA has also campaigned to oppose legislation that requires voters to present government-issued identification cards, birth certificates, or passports before voting.<ref name="restrictions">{{cite web |url=http://www.in.gov/sos/photoid/ |title=Indiana Secretary of State :: Todd Rokita |access-date=2009-06-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617150229/http://www.in.gov/sos/photoid/ |archive-date=2009-06-17 }}</ref> The organization has at various times deemed the laws "excessive" and "Draconian," and has argued that the laws inhibit ordinary citizens from being able to enter the polling stations.<ref name="inhibit">{{cite web|url=http://democracyforamerica.com/action-highlights|title=Democracy for America : Home|website=democracyforamerica.com}}</ref> Additionally, DFA's Advocacy Fund has cosponsored a digital sign-on action for universal Pre-K alongside Democratic Congresswoman [[Suzanne Bonamici]] and a number of other groups, including Saphron Initiative and [[Daily Kos]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 June 2024 |title=Sign on: support universal pre-K! |url=https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-on-support-universal-pre-k |access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> Furthermore, the DFA campaigns on behalf of legislation to benefit [[gay|homosexual]] Americans, to guard the rights afforded to them through the legalization of [[same-sex marriage|same-sex marriage in the United States]]. The organization sent volunteers to [[Maine]] to campaign against [[2009 Maine Question 1]], which nullified a same-sex marriage law passed by [[Maine Legislature|the state's legislature]]. In a related issue, DFA pushed for the repeal of the [[Don't ask, don't tell|"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"]] laws in regard to the [[U.S. military]]. DFA has also run anti-[[Wall Street]] campaigns and a "Boycott BP" campaign in response to a leaky oil pipe in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] that was owned by [[BP]]. === Foreign policy issues === Democracy for America supported the withdrawal of the United States from the [[Iraq War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/10/obama-military-offensive-against-islamic-state-wil/?page=all|title=Obama: Offensive against Islamic State 'will be different' from Iraq, Afghanistan|last=Boyer|first=Dave|date=September 10, 2014|website=The Washington Times|access-date=2016-05-20}}</ref> === Endorsed presidential candidates === In 2008, Democracy for America endorsed [[Barack Obama]], who was then an outspoken critic of the Iraq War. In February 2009, President Obama stated unequivocally that American occupation in Iraq will end no later than August 31, 2010. DFA did not withdraw its support for Obama after he failed to do this. In 2016, DFA endorsed [[Bernie Sanders]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election]], in accordance with the results of a poll of their supporters conducted on the DFA website.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wolfgang|first1=Ben|title=Powerful liberal group endorses Bernie Sanders, promises to push for 'revolution'|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/17/powerful-liberal-group-endorses-bernie-sanders-pro/?page=all|access-date=5 January 2016|work=Washington Times|date=December 17, 2015}}</ref> In 2020, DFA endorsed Bernie Sanders, also in accordance with a website poll.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Siders|first1=David|title=Democracy for America endorses Bernie Sanders|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/02/democracy-for-america-bernie-sanders-endorsement-118679|access-date=3 March 2020|date=3 March 2020}}</ref>
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