Citizen Action Guide
Self-government requires more than voting. It requires informed judgment, peaceful participation, constitutional literacy, accountability, and protection of the rights of others.
Know your constitutional rights and basic civic responsibilities.
Know who represents you at the federal, state, and local levels.
Read proposed laws, budgets, regulations, and public notices when they affect your community.
Verify important claims through multiple credible sources before sharing them.
Judge political allies and opponents by the same standards.
Attend public meetings or hearings when important decisions are being made.
Contact elected officials with specific, respectful requests.
Use lawful elections to reward good governance and reject poor governance.
Defend the lawful rights of people with whom you disagree.
Reject political violence, intimidation, and threats.
Use courts and established legal processes to resolve disputes.
Think beyond the next election and consider effects on future generations.
The Political Coercion Test
Ask what constitutional authority supports an action, whether independent institutions remain free to act, whether retaliation or dependency is being used, what precedent is being created, and whether authority is becoming concentrated around one individual.
The Reversibility Test
Would you support the exact same governmental power if it were exercised by a President, Congress, governor, administration, or political party you strongly opposed?
