Best citizen groups to support here and now

(Response by ChatGPT to three prompts)

Prompt 1 #

Which groups have done the most to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizen's United decision? Are they conservative or liberal?

Efforts to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC (2010) decision have come overwhelmingly from liberal and progressive groups. These organizations argue that Citizens United unleashed a flood of corporate and dark money into American politics by allowing unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions.

Major Groups Leading the Effort: #

1. Move to Amend

   • Political orientation: Progressive/Liberal
   • Mission: Advocates for a constitutional amendment to state that money is not speech and that corporations are not people.
   • Tactics: Grassroots organizing, ballot initiatives, lobbying for a 28th Amendment.

2. Public Citizen

   • Political orientation: Liberal
   • Mission: Promotes a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and supports stricter campaign finance laws.
   • Tactics: Legal advocacy, public education, petitions.

3. Common Cause

   • Political orientation: Generally nonpartisan but progressive-leaning
   • Mission: Campaign finance reform and anti-corruption measures, including a reversal of Citizens United.
   • Tactics: Legal action, lobbying, public campaigns.

4. End Citizens United

   • Political orientation: Liberal/Democratic
   • Mission: Elect pro-reform Democrats and push for campaign finance reform, including reversing Citizens United.
   • Tactics: Endorsing candidates, fundraising, lobbying for legislation.

5. American Promise

   • Political orientation: Centrist to progressive
   • Mission: Bipartisan effort for a 28th Amendment to address campaign finance reform.
   • Tactics: Engages with conservatives and moderates as well as liberals to build broad support.

Conservative Efforts? #

Very few conservative or right-leaning groups have made reversing Citizens United a priority. In fact, many prominent conservative legal organizations, such as the Federalist Society, Heritage Foundation, and others, supported the Citizens United ruling as a win for free speech. However:

• A small number of libertarian-leaning or anti-corruption conservatives have criticized the effects of the ruling, especially on political transparency, but they have not mounted major campaigns to overturn it.

Summary: #

The most organized and active opposition to Citizens United has come from liberal and progressive groups, often tied to the broader movement for campaign finance reform. Conservative groups, by contrast, have largely supported or defended the ruling on First Amendment grounds.

Among the five groups—Move to Amend, Public Citizen, Common Cause, End Citizens United, and American Promise—the group that has arguably made the most tangible progress toward overturning Citizens United is American Promise. Here's why:

🥇 American Promise #

• Key Achievement: Has built the broadest bipartisan and cross-partisan support for a constitutional amendment—critical for actually passing one (which requires two-thirds of Congress and ratification by 38 states).
• State-Level Successes: Helped pass resolutions or ballot measures in over 20 states (e.g., Colorado, Montana, California, and Massachusetts) supporting an amendment to overturn Citizens United.
• Municipal Momentum: Hundreds of cities and towns have passed similar resolutions with American Promise’s support.
• Bipartisan Appeal: Actively recruits conservatives and moderates, such as former Republican officials and military veterans, to speak on the issue.
• Unique Role: Focuses heavily on organizing state-level action and building the conditions needed for ratification—a step others often leave out.

Honorable Mentions: #

Move to Amend #

• Strengths: Deep grassroots organizing and strong ideological clarity (“money is not speech, corporations are not people”).
• Impact: Introduced the “We the People Amendment” in Congress multiple times, but has not gained substantial traction in Congress.
• Limitation: Less bipartisan appeal, so lower chance of building the coalition needed for constitutional change.

End Citizens United #

• Strengths: Massive fundraising and candidate endorsements in federal elections (especially pro-reform Democrats).
• Impact: Helps elect candidates who oppose Citizens United, but focuses more on electoral wins than on constitutional amendments.
• Limitation: Deeply partisan, which limits broader amendment movement success.

Public Citizen and Common Cause #

• Strengths: Long histories of effective policy advocacy, litigation, and public education.
• Impact: Played major roles in lawsuits and in supporting other groups’ campaigns.
• Limitation: Focus more broadly on campaign finance and democracy issues than on Citizens United specifically.

Conclusion: #

American Promise has made the most structural progress toward overturning Citizens United because it’s working to build the only thing that can actually do it: a constitutional amendment backed by a bipartisan supermajority across states and Congress. The road is long, but they're methodically working the required steps.

Prompt 2 #

Which groups are fighting American fascism the most effectively?

The fight against American fascism—broadly understood as the defense of democracy, civil rights, and pluralism against authoritarian, white nationalist, or violent antidemocratic movements—is being waged by a variety of groups across ideological, tactical, and institutional lines.

Below are some of the most effective and prominent groups, divided by type:

🛡️ Legal & Institutional Defenders of Democracy #

1. Protect Democracy #

• What they do: Legal advocacy and policy reform to prevent authoritarian abuse of power.
• Notable work: Sued Trump over abuse of emergency powers; published legal frameworks to defend democratic norms.
• Effectiveness: High-impact litigation and widely respected bipartisan credibility.

2. Lawyers for Good Government #

• What they do: Mobilizes lawyers to provide pro bono legal aid for civil liberties, immigrants, and voters.
• Effectiveness: Especially useful in rapid-response legal defense against unconstitutional orders or restrictions.

3. Brennan Center for Justice #

• What they do: Research and litigation to defend voting rights, fair courts, and the rule of law.
• Notable work: Helped expose and block voter suppression tactics; influential in policy debates.
• Orientation: Progressive, but often works with moderate partners.

🗳️ Grassroots Pro-Democracy Organizing #

4. Indivisible #

• What they do: Mobilizes local activists to pressure members of Congress, fight authoritarianism, and promote democratic reform.
• Effectiveness: Formed after Trump’s election, helped flip Congress in 2018 and continues as a key grassroots network.

5. Swing Left and Sister District #

• What they do: Focus on defeating authoritarian-aligned politicians at the state and federal level by helping volunteers target flippable districts.
• Effectiveness: Critical to grassroots victories in battleground states and legislatures.

🕵️ Research, Exposure, and Disruption of Fascist Networks #

6. Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) #

• What they do: Tracks hate groups and extremists; educates the public and provides legal support to victims.
• Criticism: Some see it as too partisan or too quick to label, but its research is influential and widely cited.

7. Political Research Associates #

• What they do: Deep investigations into authoritarian movements, the Christian Right, and white nationalist networks.
• Effectiveness: Supplies intelligence to media and policymakers; smaller but respected.

8. Right Wing Watch (a project of People for the American Way) #

• What they do: Monitors and exposes authoritarian, extremist, and theocratic public figures.
• Tactics: Clips, investigations, and viral content; influential in bringing fringe views into public scrutiny.

🧱 Community-Based Anti-Fascism and Mutual Aid #

9. Community Defense Networks (e.g., local antifa or anti-fascist mutual aid collectives) #

• What they do: Monitor fascist organizing in communities; provide direct aid and protection to targeted groups.
• Effectiveness: Varies by location—effective in preventing rallies or intimidation, but often demonized in mainstream press.
• Orientation: Decentralized, anarchist or radical-left.

🏛️ Institutional Partners and Watchdogs #

10. The Lincoln Project (controversial) #

• What they do: Founded by anti-Trump Republicans, they use ad campaigns and media strategy to undermine authoritarian figures.
• Effectiveness: Good at message warfare; less impactful at policy or organizing. Internal scandals have reduced credibility.

Conclusion: #

Most Effective Overall:

• Protect Democracy (legal/institutional safeguards)
• Brennan Center (systemic policy/litigation)
• Indivisible (grassroots mobilization)
• SPLC & PRA (intelligence on extremist threats)

Honorable mention for rapid response:

• Lawyers for Good Government, Right Wing Watch, and local antifascist groups have unique strengths when specific threats emerge.

Fighting fascism in the U.S. requires a multi-pronged approach—legal defense, electoral power, community safety, and cultural exposure—and these groups each play a critical role in that ecosystem.

Prompt 3 #

Okay, opposite question: What groups are most effective at INCREASING fascism in America?

The groups most effective at increasing fascism in America—understood as promoting authoritarianism, political violence, ethno-nationalism, or anti-democratic practices—range from well-funded political actors to militant movements and media ecosystems that normalize or glamorize authoritarian tendencies. Below is a breakdown of the most influential ones, categorized by type and their level of systemic impact:

⚖️ 1. Mainstream Political Organizations Enabling Authoritarianism #

The Republican Party (as currently led) #

• Why included: Increasing alignment with authoritarian practices: voter suppression, loyalty to a single leader (Trump), legislative attacks on democratic institutions, and tolerance for political violence (e.g., Jan. 6).
• Effectiveness: High. Controls many state legislatures and the federal judiciary. Normalizes authoritarian tendencies as mainstream.
• Note: This refers to the current trajectory under Trump/MAGA, not all conservatives or the GOP historically.

Turning Point USA #

• What they do: Mobilizes far-right students on college campuses and promotes extreme nationalism under the guise of free speech.
• Effectiveness: Effective at radicalizing young conservatives and normalizing conspiracies.

🪖 2. Militant and Paramilitary Groups #

Proud Boys #

• What they do: Street-level fascist tactics, including political violence, intimidation, and organizing against democratic norms.
• Notable actions: Major role in January 6 insurrection.
• Effectiveness: High symbolic and real-world impact; now designated as a terrorist organization in some countries.

Oath Keepers #

• What they do: Recruit military and law enforcement for anti-government actions; claim to defend the Constitution while preparing for civil conflict.
• Effectiveness: Deep infiltration in law enforcement and veteran communities.

Groyper Movement (Nick Fuentes’ followers) #

• What they do: Promotes explicitly Christian nationalist, anti-democratic, and white supremacist ideology, targeting young men.
• Effectiveness: Influencing far-right figures and attracting younger followers disillusioned with mainstream conservatism.

📢 3. Media and Propaganda Networks #

Fox News (especially under Tucker Carlson era) #

• Why included: Regularly mainstreamed authoritarian talking points, anti-immigrant propaganda, and conspiracy theories (e.g., “great replacement theory”).
• Effectiveness: Massive influence on public opinion and political normalization of far-right rhetoric.

InfoWars / Alex Jones #

• What they do: Spread conspiracy theories that undermine trust in democratic institutions, e.g., election denial, COVID hoaxes.
• Effectiveness: Highly influential in shaping radical online subcultures; linked to real-world violence.

💸 4. Dark Money and Think Tanks Pushing Authoritarian Policies #

The Heritage Foundation (in its current iteration) #

• Why included: Heritage’s 2025 "Mandate for Leadership" plan promotes extreme executive power consolidation under a future authoritarian-aligned administration.
• Effectiveness: Direct pipeline to Republican policymakers and potential Trump 2.0 planning.

Council for National Policy (CNP) #

• What they do: Secretive network of far-right leaders, donors, and media figures who coordinate strategy across Christian nationalist and authoritarian spheres.
• Effectiveness: High. Operates behind the scenes to shape elections, judicial appointments, and messaging.

⛓️ 5. Online Radicalization Platforms #

Telegram, Gab, 4chan / 8kun #

• What they do: Host accelerationist, neo-Nazi, and QAnon propaganda.
• Effectiveness: Crucial in radicalizing individuals like mass shooters, and promoting stochastic terrorism.

Summary Table #

Final Thought: #

These groups are not all the same, but they each contribute to the normalization or advancement of fascist-adjacent politics—whether through policy, violence, rhetoric, or disinformation. The greatest danger lies in the overlap between fringe militancy and mainstream legitimization, especially when political, judicial, and media systems fail to check them.

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