Something Wicked is on the Launch Pad
Infrastructure for Democracy
Organizations building movements for democracy, justice, equality, and peace are made stronger by the communities of people who join and support them.
Protecting those communities is a vital part of an organizational commitment.
Many of the platforms and tools progressive organizations and groups use to build and execute civic action campaigns were built thoughtfully.
Nevertheless, the leading platforms have since been acquired by private equity, and private equity answers to investor returns, not data privacy.
https://theintercept.com/2022/05/10/democrats-campaign-tech-ngp-van-apax/
The non-profit I’ve founded, Civic Works is designed to stay in civic hands, so the mission, technology, and data cannot be acquired and subverted by bad actors.
We’ve built Action Engine from civ.works so organizers execute their events and action campaigns while protecting their constituents and registration data at the same time.
I’m personally grateful for all of my subscribers, followers, and advocates of Civic Works. With your donations you continue to help us develop long-term civic infrastructure to rebuild and strengthen the pillars of a meaningful democracy: An informed, educated, and engaged society.
You can learn more about our core projects at: https://civ.works/projects
I’m incredibly grateful for all who contribute to the civ.works effort through our secure payment processor, Stripe, and all who help us gain visibility by sharing the project with journalists, academics, and others to move the effort forward.
PS -My Articles and Subscriptions are always free.
If you find this article of value, please do share with friends, associates, & others who have an interest in the content.
Please note that my articles and subscriptions are not paywalled. This stems from a guiding principle -that any meaningful democracy requires an informed, educated, and engaged society. It is also to honor the life of Aaron Swartz.
Aaron held firmly to the belief that research and knowledge intended for the betterment of humanity should be freely shared.
If the problem is extraction, then the response must be construction.
I am building Civic Works and its core platform, civ.works, as a direct alternative to the systems that have captured our data, our attention, and our civic life. This is a 501(c)(3) effort to create infrastructure that serves the public, not exploits it.
The goal is simple and necessary. A subscriber-supported, ad-free civic network where people can access trusted information, engage constructively, and take meaningful action without being tracked, manipulated, or sold.
No ads. No data harvesting. No hidden incentives.
Just people, information, and the tools to participate in a functioning democracy.
This kind of infrastructure will not be built by the same forces that benefit from the current system. It has to be built by us.
That is why we are asking for direct public support.
If this work resonates with you, I am asking you to make a simple commitment. Visit the pledge page and commit to supporting civ.works at launch. A small monthly contribution, combined across thousands of people, creates the independence required to build this platform without compromise.
https://civ.works/pledge/pledge.html
This is not just about funding a project. It is about proving that a different model is possible. One where civic infrastructure is accountable to the people who use it, not the interests that seek to exploit it.
If you believe the current system is failing, this is one way to begin rebuilding it.
And if you cannot contribute financially, sharing this effort with others is just as important.
The system we have was built deliberately.
What comes next can be built the same way.
Aside from writing, mentoring others, and projects related to democracy, economics, and social innovation, I’m dedicated to Civic Works, a 501c3 non-profit organization building and managing technology that blends social networking and civic engagement. Our core effort is around civ.works. When complete, it will be a subscriber-supported, ad-free social network that does not betray subscriber trust by selling or sharing data with marketers or sinister political operatives.
I’m incredibly grateful for all who contribute to the civ.works effort through our secure payment processor, Stripe, and all who help us gain visibility by sharing the project with journalists and others to move the effort forward.
Special appreciation for all who continue to recommend my rants and musings, restack articles that are found to be worthy, and share with friends and family. And the following are some special recommendations for stacks I value -
Liz Oyer, Former DOJ Pardon Attorney
Michael Sellers wrote a terrific message on Memorial Day titled: “Six Years Ago George’ Floyd’s Death Sparked a Moment of Unity. Where Did it Go? I had forgotten that he was murdered on Memorial Day. If you wish to read his message it is found at: michaelsellers@substack.com.
George Floyd's death made a profound difference in my life. After spending twenty years working abroad and gaining insight into how other countries and peoples view the U.S., I was shocked by George Floyd’s death. Like so many others across the U.S. and around the world, my gut response was disbelief, outrage, and even blind fury. The news replayed his death over and over and over. I reached a saturation point where I could no longer watch this man – this human – die on live TV.
Fatal Encounters is a public site that aims to document all episodes of fatal police-civilian interactions in the U.S. It includes homicides, suicides, accidental deaths, and all cases are fact-checked against published accounts before being added to the public data set. The site is run
by D. Brian Burghart, a former editor and publisher of the Reno News and Review, and a journalism instructor at the University of Nevada in Reno. This website shows an average of 1,028 deaths per year or about three incidents per day of police-involved deaths of persons of color.
I retired and began writing a book which is partially dedicated to his memory. His horrific death - much like the shootings of innocent people by ICE only a few months ago - reveals the barbaric, uncivilized, and cruel side of the U.S. Government. - whether it is police brutality, ICE savage actions, or Trump's prejudice and bigotry - we as a society - are very far from our ideal.
The preconception of America created by men like Thomas Jefferson - who gave us the phrase "all men are created equal" at the same time he enslaved over 600 individuals was a premonition and warning of America's future. It is not a pretty picture, and with Trump at the helm, our country now represents a nefarious and almost satanic civilization.
Millions of Americans are brainwashed into believing that Donald Trump is a good leader, when in fact, his best friend for 15 years said of him: "he doesn't have a decent cell in his entire body." He is convicted of sadistic crimes: fraud, 34 felony counts, and he sexually attacked a woman in a department store dressing room. His last charge legally labeled him a "sexual predator."
There is printed proof of his loyalty to Russia and his crime of treason. He sold his soul and our country to our enemy decades ago, and as a result millions of Americans - including those who are loyal to Trump - cannot afford food or gas. He has cut medical care to millions of Americans., closed hospitals in rural America, and forced farmers to leave their farms in search of work to feed their families. His cruelty has no limits, and his Machiavellian and scheming behavior betrays our country while pocketing billions of dollars for himself.
There are no kind words to describe Donald Trump, and he has led this country from Lincoln's speech of "Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth," to our near destruction - all for personal gain.