Editing TrueMajority

{{Short description|U.S. political advocacy group}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = TrueMajority
| logo             = File:TrueMajority logo.png
| colorcode        = #406ECE
| foundation       = {{Start date|2002|06}}
| dissolution      = {{end date and age|2007|09}}
| merged           = [[USAction]]
| position         = [[Center-left politics|Center-left]]
| ideology         = [[Progressivism in the United States|Progressivism]]
| country          = the United States
| website          = {{URL|http://www.truemajority.org}}
}}
'''TrueMajority''' was a left-wing [[advocacy group]] in the [[United States]]. In September 2007, TrueMajority and its related organization  TrueMajorityACTION merged with [[USAction]].<ref>[http://usaction.org/about-us/history-achievements/ USAction: History and Achievements]</ref> By 2008, the combined groups had over 700,000 members,<ref name="boston">{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/26/many_voice_anger_over_700b_outlay/|author1=Wallack,Todd |author2=Bender, Bryan |title=Many voice anger over $700b outlay|work=Boston Globe|date=Sep 26, 2008}}</ref> making it, together with [[MoveOn]], one of the two largest liberal advocacy groups in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://i4.democracynow.org/2009/2/4/with_daschles_withdrawal_from_health_sec|title=What is the Future of Healthcare Reform Following Daschle Withdrawing Health Sec. Nomination?|work=Democracy Now!|date=Feb 4, 2009|accessdate=Feb 19, 2009|archive-date=February 11, 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090211061805/http://i4.democracynow.org/2009/2/4/with_daschles_withdrawal_from_health_sec|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''TrueMajorityACTION''' was a separate but closely related organization, which had a different status under U.S. law so that it could campaign for specific parties and politicians.

In 2007, TrueMajority merged with [[USAction]] in 2007. In 2012, Ben Cohen founded [[Stamp Stampede]].

== History ==
TrueMajority was founded in June 2002 by [[Ben Cohen (businessman)|Ben Cohen]], co-founder of [[Ben & Jerry's]].<ref name="BusinessWeek">{{cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_13/b3876133.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040405002313/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_13/b3876133.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 5, 2004|title=Web Politics: "It's Just the Beginning"|work=BusinessWeek Special Report / Online Extra|date=March 29, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=WIRED |date=February 16, 2004 |title=The Computer Ate My Vote |first1=Kim |last1=Zetter |url=https://www.wired.com/2004/02/the-computer-ate-my-vote/}}</ref>

TrueMajority was mentioned on ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' on March 5, 2007, when Ben and [[Jerry Greenfield|Jerry]] made a guest appearance. In the episode, they offered free frisbees to Colbert viewers who visited the web site, and then they signed up each viewer who visited as a member of the advocacy group.<ref>{{cite web| title=Ben and Jerry| url=http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/83216/march-05-2007/ben-and-jerry---introducing-americone-dream| date=2007-03-05| publisher=[[The Colbert Report]]}}</ref>

TrueMajority's Ten Principles were endorsed by [[Greenpeace USA]], [[Rock the Vote]], [[Physicians for Social Responsibility]], [[Peace Action]], the [[National Head Start Association]], [[Global Exchange]], [[The Interfaith Alliance]], ''[[The Nation (magazine)|The Nation]]'', ''[[Sojourners]]'', [[Rainforest Action Network]], [[Women's Action for New Directions]], [[Service Employees International Union]], and [[National Council of La Raza]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Principles Explained |publisher=TrueMajority |url=http://www.truemajority.org/who/principlesex.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212211604/http://www.truemajority.org/who/principlesex.html |archive-date=2008-02-12 }}</ref>

== Stances ==
TrueMajority organized protests of the 2008 [[G-20 major economies|G-20 Summit]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/feeds/prnewswire/2008/11/12/prnewswire200811121706PR_NEWS_USPR_____DC45836.html|title=Experts To Discuss G-20 Summit, Announce International Day Of Protest|work=Forbes|date=Nov 12, 2008}}{{dead link|date=January 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> It also opposed the 2008 financial bailout of banks, and helped to organize protests of the bailout.<ref name="boston" />

In 2004 TrueMajority ran advertisements calling for a paper trail in electronic voting.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2004-03-19-evote-printouts_x.htm|author=Klug, Foster|title=Paper backup for e-voting called for in ads|work=USA Today|date=Mar 19, 2004}}</ref>

=== Iraq war opposition ===
TrueMajority co-sponsored protests and advertisements against the Iraq war in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/anti-iraq-ad-features-leader-of-bushs-church|title=Anti-Iraq Ad Features Leader of Bush's Church|work=Fox News|date=January 31, 2003|access-date=Feb 19, 2009}}</ref>  The organization published anti-war advertisements in the ''[[New York Times]]'' and ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', but its ads were refused by television networks including [[CNN]], [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], [[MTV]], and [[Comedy Central]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/28/1048653857413.html|author1=James, Steve |author2=Weinraub, Mark |title=Hollywood declares, hell no, this time we won't go|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=March 29, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030329/asp/foreign/story_1819152.asp|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913021856/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030329/asp/foreign/story_1819152.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 13, 2012|title=Anti-war groups allege ad block on airwaves|work=The Telegraph|location=Calcutta, India|date=Mar 29, 2003}}</ref> TrueMajority also supported [[Howard Dean]] in the 2004 Democratic primary, mounting a letter-writing campaign and arguing for his support on the grounds of his [[opposition to the Iraq War]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/liberals-keep-close-watch-on-dean|title=Liberals Keep Close Watch on Dean|work=Fox News|date=February 26, 2005|access-date=Feb 19, 2009}}</ref> In 2008 TrueMajority gathered over 20,000 petitions to urge [[CalPERS]] to investigate [[KBR (company)|KBR]] for [[war profiteering]], including in the petitions accusations of [[rape]] and [[murder]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/06/18/18508549.php|author=Bacher, Dan|title=CalPERS targeted Thursday for supporting KBR, accused of rape and murder in Iraq!|work=San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center: Central Valley|date=Jun 18, 2008|accessdate=Feb 19, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://yubanet.com/california/20-000-petitioners-ask-CalPERS-Thursday-to-get-tough-on-KBR-now-linked-to-massive-fraud-rape-and-massacre.php|title=20,000 petitioners ask CalPERS Thursday to get tough on KBR, now linked to massive fraud, rape, and massacre|work=YubaNet.com|date=Jun 19, 2008|accessdate=Feb 19, 2009|archive-date=June 26, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626162456/http://yubanet.com/california/20-000-petitioners-ask-CalPERS-Thursday-to-get-tough-on-KBR-now-linked-to-massive-fraud-rape-and-massacre.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website |http://www.truemajority.org |TrueMajority official website}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Internet-based activism]]
[[Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States]]
[[Category:American political websites]]
[[Category:Anti–Iraq War groups]]
[[Category:Left-wing politics]]
[[Category:Defunct organizations based in the United States]]