Democracy Doesn’t Just Trickle Down
Why storytelling from the ground up is essential to defending our Constitution
In the democracy reform world, we’ve long recognized the power of grasstops engagement — former governors, Cabinet secretaries, and members of Congress who bring credibility, institutional memory, and the kind of weight that opens doors on the Hill. These voices are indispensable; they know how the system works, and how to make it work better.
But in times like these — when constitutional guardrails are being tested — we’re reminded that grasstops power is strongest when it’s grounded in grassroots stories.
Over the past few months, I’ve met with farmers from Iowa, fishermen and veterans from Alaska, veterans from Maine, and other local leaders. They’re not political operatives. They’re people who are watching their communities get hollowed out by agency cuts, service delays, and executive decisions. They’re not talking in soundbites; they’re talking about their lives.
And those stories matter. Not just because they’re heartbreaking or compelling, but because they cut through the noise and hit you right in the gut. A story from a constituent is a cry for reform that their member of Congress can hear. It’s a reminder that policy isn’t abstract when you’re living with its consequences.
That’s why at Issue One, we’re pairing top-down pressure with bottom-up power. Our Check the Exec campaign mobilizes former politicians, but it also thrives on local messengers. It’s the retired Navy officer in Maine who knows what’s being lost. The fisherman in Alaska who is watching his coastline crumble. The soybean farmer in Iowa who sees what degraded democracy looks like, not just on the ground, but in the soil.
These voices speak to the power of representative government — for and by the people. In a moment when our constitutional checks and balances are being stretched thin, we need every tool, and every voice, we’ve got. Because the fight to protect democracy isn’t won from one angle. It’s won when we recognize the strength of the whole system, bringing in voices of validators at every level that are rooted in real experience and willing to speak up.
Let’s keep making space for Americans from all walks of life. Let’s keep telling stories. And let’s remember that democracy isn’t only defended on the Hill. It’s defended on the ground, too.
 | A guest post by
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In Virginia we are trying to change this. Check out our recent Press Release.
PRESS RELEASE: May 27, 2025
CONTACT: Nancy Morgan, BigMoneyOutVA, (703) 362-8014, nancyruthmorgan@gmail.com
Defending Democracy at the Local Level
High School Students Urge Leesburg Town Council to Support Democracy Over Dollars
LEESBURG, VA – In a powerful show of civic engagement, students from Heritage High School stepped before the Leesburg Town Council on May 27 to advocate for democracy over corporate influence. They urged the Council to pass a resolution calling on the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress to support a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United and to encourage our General Assembly to enact robust campaign finance reforms—measures including contribution limits, enhanced transparency, independent oversight, and public financing of elections.
Evie Nyilasi, Clare Johnson, Sutton Long, and Amna Farooq made the case that Virginia—known as the cradle of American democracy—now ranks among the worst in government transparency. They expressed deep concern that unchecked money in politics discourages voter turnout and weakens public trust in democratic institutions.
“We cannot make change unless the people come together and advocate for what they believe is right,” said Clare Johnson. “Little steps turn into bigger steps if we fight together.”
Sutton Long, a passionate advocate for climate action, criticized the outsized role of fossil fuel interests which have blocked real solutions to the climate crisis and their role in Virginia politics—particularly Dominion Energy, one of the largest corporate donors in Virginia. “Why is this possible?” she asked. “Lack of political will is why.”
The proposed resolution warns that excessive election spending poses “a serious and direct threat to our nation’s republican democracy while standing in direct contrast to the Town of Leesburg’s commitment to good government, civic and civil discourse, and broad participation in local decision-making”.
Quoting the Virginia Declaration of Rights—“all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people”—Evie Nyilasi challenged the Council to turn principle into practice. “These words are not just part of history,” she said. “They are a call to action that is especially relevant today.” She called on Town Council members to reaffirm this message, thus connecting “today’s local governance to the foundational ideals of democratic self-rule”.
As the students closed their remarks, their message was urgent and unmistakable: democracy must be accountable to voters—not corporations. “All power is vested in the people—not the wealthy, not the well-connected,” declared Amna Farooq.
Their voices rang with conviction, reminding everyone in the chamber that the fight to protect democracy begins at home. With passion and urgency, these 16- and 17-year-old students reminded the Council—and all Virginians—that the fight to protect democracy begins at the local level. Now is the time to rise above partisanship, resist the corrosive influence of money in politics and, above all, Evie Nyilasi reminds us, to “reclaim our democratic institutions for future generations.”
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BigMoneyOutVA is a non-partisan group which champions good governance and transparency in Virginia, while promoting increased public discourse between citizens of the Commonwealth and their legislators. We are dedicated to getting big money out of politics through campaign finance reform so as to increase the legitimacy and integrity of government and to enable our elected officials to better reflect the interests and will of all citizens of the Commonwealth.