Frequently Asked Questions

Is American Democrat associated with the Democratic Party? Yes and no. American Democrat is an independent grassroots effort to change how progressive politics are viewed. We see the Democratic Party as the oppositional force to authoritarianism as embraced by the Republican Party. As such, embracing the Democratic Party is the best path toward removing autocratic leadership. American Democrat stands alongside the Democratic Party.

Aren’t we mad at Democratic lawmakers right now? It’s a challenging and frustrating situation for Democrats who currently lack control of any branch of federal government. Our lawmakers must continue to fight hard, but we also need to recognize the conundrum they face. As citizens advocating for progressive policies, we must elect leaders that stand for our values. We have collectively failed to do so in recent elections. If leadership is floundering, we must bolster their ranks with strong candidates who can win back a majority.

Why should we embrace the flag when America was built on racism and genocide? The American flag has stood for freedom, self-governance, and justice for hundreds of years. It remains a powerful symbol of these values even if also associated with human rights atrocities. By reclaiming the flag, we build on our American virtues while recognizing and reforming our past transgressions. While it would be great if we could just start over, that’s hard to do with large systems of governance (and usually involves a lot of bloodshed). The American system, while imperfect, has proved its ability to evolve incrementally to build a more equitable society. While progress is never fast enough, a system built around citizen-directed change is far better than one commanded by a small group of regressive autocrats. 

Where does the money go? All proceeds go toward spreading this message. Products are sold at just above cost and we use a drop-shipping partner in order to efficiently offer a range of branded products. Drop-shipping is more expensive than if we handled inventory ourselves but allows us to quickly get the message out there!

Why isn’t this a non-profit? American Democrat is a grassroots initiative that is just getting started. Adopting a non-profit structure comes with significant cost and administrative complexity. We’re running lean for now!

Who is behind this project? Due to threats of political violence made by the Trump administration, those involved in this project choose to remain anonymous at this time.