Center for American Progress

The Montana Plan flips the script on #CitizensUnited and goes after dark money in politics.

CAP's Corporate Power Reset plan is a novel legal strategy that can effectively undo #CitizensUnited—here's how:

Maryland @govwesmoore.bsky.social: "Those who are closest to the community have got to be the ones who are first at the table." Community violence intervention programs are critical to addressing gun violence and ensuring greater public safety.

Corporate money in politics has gone too far. It’s time for people to be back in the center of politics. #EndCitizensUnited

State by state, we can get dark and corporate money out of our politics. Follow Hawaii’s lead and learn more about CAP’s bold legal strategy: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/addressing-questions-surrounding-hawaiis-bold-move-to-undo-citizens-united/

American families are struggling to pay their utility bills, and there's little relief in sight thanks to the actions of the Trump administration. Gov. Sherrill explains:

Every state has the power to make Citizens United irrelevant, including yours. Learn how: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-corporate-power-reset-that-makes-citizens-united-irrelevant/

Guardrails and meaningful federal AI legislation must be put in place to protect workers. Hear from @repcasar.bsky.social:

Big ideas and big results matter at CAP. 💡 Missed our 2026 IDEAS conference? Watch the recording now: https://www.americanprogress.org/events/the-2026-cap-ideas-conference/

Maryland is safer despite the Trump administration's acts of authoritarianism.

"[Trump] should come visit Baltimore to learn." @govwesmoore.bsky.social explains the record improvements in the city's public safety:

"You cannot reduce violent crime if you're not addressing the conditions in the communities where the violence actually exists." In 2024, @govwesmoore.bsky.social signed the largest mass pardon in the country for more than 175,000 cannabis convictions.

"The work of public safety does not end on arrests nor on conviction...that if you want fewer crimes tomorrow, it means you break the cycle today." Hear from @govwesmoore.bsky.social:

"People should not have to choose between feeling safe in their skin or feeling safe in their communities." @govwesmoore.bsky.social shares his personal motivation for improving public safety in Maryland:

"Big food companies, big pharmaceutical companies [are] profiting off of our pain." Hear from @booker.senate.gov:

No child should go to bed hungry. Full stop.

The SAVE Act would block millions of citizens from casting their ballots. More from @schumer.senate.gov:

"I'm a United States Senator, but I'm also a product of good public policy." Head Start and Upward Bound opened doors for @warnock.senate.gov, yet the Trump administration has cut funding for these programs.

@warnock.senate.gov warns us: "We're witnessing right now with this attack on voting rights Jim Crow in new clothes."

"Universal child care is the best investment we can make in strengthening our middle class, and that should matter to everyone. 👏 @warren.senate.gov

Every American deserves affordable, high quality care, including child care.

"Child care is public infrastructure that makes our communities and businesses flourish." Exactly right @warren.senate.gov.

Families are struggling to afford child care, and half of all children live in child care deserts. Why? @warren.senate.gov: "Workers are typically paid at rates lower than Uber drivers."

@chrislhayes.bsky.social in discussion with Ezra Klein: AI is a story of power and who benefits from the industry's growth.

The conversation on AI tech cannot stop at good vs. evil. Ezra Klein explains how AI can work for the public good:

@kim.senate.gov remains clear-eyed on the repercussions of Trump's war in Iran: "This is ultimately about the people...about the impact it's having on them."

The world's eyes are on the Trump administration and its foreign policy decisions. Hear from Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield:

Gov. Newsom @governor.ca.gov calls for reworking the system to put workers first: "We cannot continue to have a payroll tax system that taxes jobs and then subsidizes automation."

The system is broken for American workers—it must be reimagined. Gov. Newsom @governor.ca.gov explains:

Gov. Newsom @governor.ca.gov sounds the alarm: "Our democracy is in real peril right now."

"It's an outrage the way the Trump administration started a war, then says they're going to end a war, then continues bombing a country." It's simply chaos from this administration.

VA Gov. Spanberger's administration always keeps affordability top of mind.

Virginia is the first state in the South to grant paid family and medical leave 👏 Gov. Spanberger is putting workers first.

"Real patriotism is actually taking care of the people in our country." 👏

@mayorjacobfrey.bsky.social on ICE's assault of Minneapolis: "This is not an ideological thing, this is a human being thing."

The ICE agents who shot and killed Americans must be held accountable.

The American people are speaking up against Trump's extremism. Change is possible. More from @robertgarcia.house.gov:

The American taxpayer should NOT be paying for Trump's reckless war of choice or his untrained ICE forces.

Leader @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social on pushing back against Trump's extremism at every opportunity:

Freezing utility rates isn't enough, especially as the Trump administration continues to hike rates from gas to grocery prices.

"We can't settle for 10 year studies." New Jersey is taking action to lower energy prices now.

The Trump administration is actively worsening the energy price crisis, and New Jersey residents are paying the costs. Hear from @mikiesherrill.bsky.social:

Big ideas = impactful solutions that improve all Americans' lives.

Workers must be protected as the use of AI tech becomes the norm in our society. More from @repcasar.bsky.social:

Young Americans and college graduates are facing an uphill battle looking for employment thanks to the rise of AI tech.

"Everyone needs health care." Full stop. Yet Trump's refusal to extend ACA tax credits will kick millions of Americans off their plans. Hear from @underwood.house.gov:

Solving the housing crisis is possible, but it takes a multi-pronged approach. @frost.house.gov explains:

@gallego.senate.gov on Trump's unauthorized acts in Iran and abroad: "Don't start stupid wars."

Americans are losing hope in their economic future. Criticisms of the Trump administration is not enough—we need transformative solutions and change.

@neeratanden.bsky.social opens the CAP IDEAS conference: "The American people are waking up and realizing, finally, that the Trump administration is failing and failing them."

Electricity prices are getting out of hand 📈 CAP's new plan would freeze or lower rates and save over $900 per household over 4 years. Learn how our plan works: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/fact-sheet-a-plan-for-american-electricity-affordability/

“We do not serve artificial entities. We serve the people.” Sen. Keohokalole on Hawaii making history by getting dark and corporate money out of politics. #CitizensUnited

The Montana Plan set Hawaii on a path to potentially become the first in the nation to make Citizens United irrelevant—your state can do the same. Learn more about The Montana Plan from @transpelectinit.bsky.social: https://transparentelection.org/how-we-fix-it/montana-plan

Hawaii Rep. Souza: "Power belongs to people, not corporations, especially political power." It's time to undo the damage caused by #CitizensUnited.

CAP's @nicole-alvarez.bsky.social explains why the Trump administration's focus on state preemption of AI, child safety, and privacy laws is not the right path forward for meaningful AI legislation:

States have passed laws that protect people from deepfakes and other abuses using AI technology, but the Trump administration's narrow focus on federal preemption of any existing or future state AI laws threatens these protections. @publiccitizen.bsky.social's Craig Holman explains:

Do you live in a child care desert? 46% of all young children in America live in child care deserts, where for too many families, it's an uphill battle to both find and afford licensed child care. Child care access is a equity problem, and families deserve solutions.

"The local decisions, it helps to shape local life." Dumfries, Virginia Mayor Derrick Wood on the importance of engaging community members to make real, transformational impact.

Federal preemption of any existing or future state AI laws is not the path forward for meaningful AI legislation. Chris Lewis, President and CEO of @publicknowledge.bsky.social, explains:

Maryland Delegate Joe Vogel offers hope for climate action in the form of a warning: "We need...folks all across our state and all across our country to continue making this an issue of concern."

Big names. Big ideas. All in one place. Registration for the 2026 CAP IDEAS Conference is officially open! RSVP now to learn from today's leading thinkers and doers to solve the problems facing Americans now, and keep an eye out for more speakers to be announced: capideas.org

The global hunger and health emergency unfolding right now is the direct consequence of Trump's war of choice in Iran.

🚨 HAWAII UPDATE: The state is one step away from sending S.B. 2471 to Gov. Green’s desk for signing into law and becoming the first state to effectively make Citizens United irrelevant.

Mayor Talisha Searcy shares how the urgent need to improve residents' lives drove climate action progress in Takoma Park, Maryland.

"If you're not a billionaire, you're expected to accept your fate." The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger is a threat to our democracy and must be stopped. #BlockTheMerger

Indiana's religious exemption ruling is a step in the right direction for both abortion rights and religious freedom. CAP's Sally Steenland explains for @rewirenewsgroup.com: https://rewirenewsgroup.com/2026/04/16/abortion-is-a-religious-freedom-opinion/

Generations from now, civilians in the region will still be feeling the effects of the reckless U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.

Hawaii and Montana are leading the charge to #EndCitizensUnited, yet all states have the power to end dark and corporate money in politics.

Trump's budget request would make drastic cuts to essential domestic programs in exchange for historic increases for the military. Put simply: Trump would trade food for bombs.

Hawaii is quickly making strides to become the first state in the nation to stop the flow of corporate and dark money in politics. Hear from Republican State Rep. Souza:

Data centers must be held responsible for rising electricity costs and the environmental impact on local communities.

It's time to get the job done and grant D.C. statehood now.

BREAKING: The Hawaii House of Representatives has passed S.B. 2471—bringing the state one step closer to being the first in the nation to get corporate and dark money out of its politics, effectively ending Citizens United.

@ambpressman.bsky.social: Under Viktor Orbán's authoritarian rule, the cost of a democratic vote was "extremely high"—reminiscent of developments we're now seeing under the Trump administration.

Trump’s budget makes it clear his priority is NOT American families. CAP's @bbkogan.bsky.social breaks it down:

Trump's genocidal and Islamophobic rhetoric about the war in Iran cannot be normalized. Dr. H.A. Hellyer explains:

@mideastpolicy.bsky.social's Faysal Itani on the outlook of U.S.-Iranian negotiations: