Alliance for Democracy (Alliance) is a left-of-center organization seeking to limit or eliminate business interests in politics, economics, and the media. Alliance for Democracy referred to the 1999 World Trade Organization riots in Seattle an example of a series of “robust campaigns against corporate rule.” ¹

The Alliance advocates ending military aid to Israel and India and supports lifting sanctions against Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. Alliance for Democracy has called to expand the U.S. Postal Service to provide short-term loans at post offices. The Alliance supports other left-leaning policies including taxpayer-provided tuition at public universities, defunding the military to expand Medicare, closing all foreign military bases, and reducing prison populations.

History

The Alliance for Democracy was founded in 1996 by left-wing journalist Ronnie Dugger. ² In 1954, Dugger had founded the Texas Observer, a newspaper founded as the left-of-center journal for Texas. ³ In 1995, Dugger published an article in left-of-center The Nation calling for progressives to join a new grassroots organization that became the Alliance for Democracy. ⁴

At the time of its founding in 1996, the Alliance for Democracy states it had over 55 local alliances nationwide. ⁵ As of 2023, only two local groups in Portland, Oregon and New England were listed on the organization’s website. ⁶

Positions

The Alliance for Democracy’s issue priorities are to limit or eliminate business interests in politics, economics, and the media. ⁷ The Alliance for Democracy called the 1999 World Trade Organization riot in Seattle an example of a series of “robust campaigns against corporate rule.” ⁸ Alliance for Democracy advocates dramatically reducing prison populations. ⁹ The organization calls for taxpayer-provided tuition to public universities, universal and government-owned broadband, and defunding the military to pay for more health-care spending, particularly Medicare. ¹⁰

Alliance for Democracy advocates joining national and international peace movements to move money away from the military toward left-wing social programs. ¹¹ Alliance for Democracy states that U.S. military carbon emissions are a threat to the climate. ¹² Alliance for Democracy calls for a feminist formula for peace that includes ending nuclear weapons, preventing the militarization of space, ending Pentagon programs such as the war on drugs and war on trafficking, and a non-violent dialogue to achieve peace. ¹³ Alliance for Democracy calls for ending military support to Israel and India and ending sanctions on Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela. ¹⁴ The Alliance has called on the military to close all bases located in foreign countries. ¹⁵

Alliance for Democracy calls to increase government by having cities and states create their own publicly owned banks. ¹⁶ Alliance for Democracy is actively working in Massachusetts and Portland to create public banks. ¹⁷ The Alliance promotes expanding the role of the U.S. Postal Service by promoting postal banking through short-term loans issued at post offices. ¹⁸

In 2020, Alliance for Democracy encouraged people to join the left-of-center movement Protect the Results to demonstrate after election day amid concerns then-President Donald Trump might not accept election results. ¹⁹ The Alliance advocates getting rid of the Electoral College and overturning the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC. ²⁰

Finances

In 2021, the Alliance for Democracy had net assets of $74,589. ²¹ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2021 the Alliance for Democracy recorded $45,027 in revenue and $35,844 in expenses. ²² In 2020, the Alliance for Democracy raised $44.890 in revenue and had $35,663 in expenses. ²³

Leadership

Barbara Clancy is the national campaign coordinator for Alliance for Democracy. ²⁴ Clancy is a founding member of the Massachusetts Public Banking coalition and sits on the coalition’s steering committee. ²⁵

1. “Looking Back to the 1990s: Inspiration and Lessons for Movements Today.” Alliance for Democracy. March 8, 2021. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/blog/category/system-change-initiatives.
2.  “Alliance for Democracy Founder Ronnie Dugger.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/founder-ronnie-dugger.html.
3. “Alliance for Democracy Founder Ronnie Dugger.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/founder-ronnie-dugger.html.
4. “Alliance for Democracy Founder Ronnie Dugger.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/founder-ronnie-dugger.html.
5. “Alliance for Democracy Founder Ronnie Dugger.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/founder-ronnie-dugger.html.
6. “Local Chapter Websites.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/links.html.
7. “Alliance for Democracy.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org.
8. “Looking Back to the 1990s: Inspiration and Lessons for Movements Today.” Alliance for Democracy. March 8, 2021. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/blog/category/system-change-initiatives.
9. “Vision for a Feminist Peace.” Justice Rising. Alliance for Democracy. Summer 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AFNxjYMqHHlqstTuI8Hcm7wpo_hqm-_r/view.
10.  “What You Can Do.” Justice Rising. Alliance for Democracy. Summer 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AFNxjYMqHHlqstTuI8Hcm7wpo_hqm-_r/view.
11. “Disarming Violence.” Alliance for Democracy. Summer 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/nowisthetime-816488-856274.html.
12. “Disarming Violence.” Alliance for Democracy. Summer 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/nowisthetime-816488-856274.html.
13. “Vision for a Feminist Peace.” Justice Rising. Alliance for Democracy. Summer 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AFNxjYMqHHlqstTuI8Hcm7wpo_hqm-_r/view; “Disarming Violence.” Justice Rising. Alliance for Democracy. Summer 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AFNxjYMqHHlqstTuI8Hcm7wpo_hqm-_r/view.
14. “Vision for a Feminist Peace.” Justice Rising. Alliance for Democracy. Summer 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AFNxjYMqHHlqstTuI8Hcm7wpo_hqm-_r/view.
15. “Alliance Presence at Inaugural No Foreign Bases Conference.” Alliance for Democracy. February 7, 2018. Accessed February 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/blog/category/peace.
16. “Creating the New Economy: Public Banking.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/public-banking.html.
17. “Creating the New Economy: Public Banking.” Alliance for Democracy. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/public-banking.html.
18. “AfD’s Campaign to Create Public Banks.” Justice Rising. Alliance for Democracy. Spring 2014. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.media.thealliancefordemocracy.org/pdf/AfDJR62.pdf; “Postal Banking.” Justice Rising. Alliance for Democracy. Spring 2014. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.media.thealliancefordemocracy.org/pdf/AfDJR62.pdf.
19. “A Threat to Democracy Like Never Before.” Alliance for Democracy. October 26, 2020. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/blog.
20. “Anniversary of Citizens United v. FEC.” Alliance for Democracy. January 21, 2020. Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/blog/previous/2.
21. Alliance for Democracy, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2021.
22. Alliance for Democracy, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2021.
23. Alliance for Democracy, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2020.
24. “National Council.” Alliance for Democracy.”  Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/national-council-and-staff.html.
25. “National Council.” Alliance for Democracy.”  Accessed August 14, 2023. http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/national-council-and-staff.html; “Steering Committee Members.” Massachusetts Public Banking. Accessed August 14, 2021. https://masspublicbanking.org/steering-committee/.