September 27, 2022
Contact: Rick Hubbard

Media Coverage

 

Press Summary 

Many Americans think that our government and political system isn’t serving the common good. Trying to have a civil, public discussion about these issues has become almost impossible. However, one man is taking to America’s roads to say that all is not lost, and we have the power to rescue our democracy - IF each of us takes action.

Walking to Fix Our Democracy―www.fixourdemocracy.us―is a national effort to engage, activate, and support people to fix our democracy, and walk and advocate in their own communities to do so.

Retired Vermont lawyer and former economic consultant Rick Hubbard started his Walking to Fix Our Democracy quest from Pasadena, CA in October of 2022.  Hubbard traveled through California, Nevada and Arizona before leaving the road in December 2022 when his life-partner Sally had a relapse of her breast cancer and later passed away in April 2023.  After doing his best to first take care of her, then help put her affairs in order, and finally organizing a large Celebrating Of Her Life, Rick returned to the Walk in September 2023, starting in New Mexico with the intention of arriving in Washington, DC before the January 2025 inauguration. 

En-route, he collaborates with activist individuals and organizations in communities and states along the way to promote changes in law and policy to strengthen our Republic and improve how its democratically elected representatives serve us all.

Regardless of ideology, nations that serve well the common good of all its people will tend to rise over time. The United States is currently the richest nation of all. But its economic benefits are spread unequally. We can and should be a model for the rest of the world. When we elect representatives, they take an oath to their respective federal or state constitutions. The preamble of our U.S. Constitution spells out their federal job, to: “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare …..” State constitutions vary, but are generally similar - to govern to best serve the broad public good of all its people.

But these benefits are not being properly realized in America today, due largely to the political dysfunction we see in Washington and many states. Despite many good representatives trying their best to do their job as outlined above, when they can not and do not achieve the majority needed to enact appropriate law and policy, it leaves us in the situation we the people face today.

A majority of those we have elected to represent us have been incentivized to act in ways that place their own re-election interests, those of their wealthy and influential campaign funders, and those of their political party, above the job they have taken an oath to do on behalf of the common, broad interests of the American people.

America and we the people have been hurt, badly, by this dysfunction. We must fix it.

Promoting the general welfare in the richest nation on earth means that for the biggest issues facing all 335+ million of us, we can and should, to name only three of many examples:

  • #1 -  Be able to have our economy that is based on capitalism broadly benefit us all,
  • #2. - Provide good quality healthcare for us all at the least total, system wide cost in a sustainable manner, and
  • #3. - Establish a political system that is fair, inclusive, equitable, competitive and that provides effective incentives for those we elect to represent our interests to do their job properly.

The walk is a nonpartisan effort to make the case in communities across the U.S. that fixing our democracy first is the quickest and most effective way to unlock progress on issues important to us all: Climate change, health care, education, infrastructure, the freedom to vote, campaign financing, and much more,” says Hubbard.

When not walking, Rick is based in South Burlington, VT. He earned a BA degree in political science, with a minor in economics from the University of Vermont, an MBA degree from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a JD degree in law from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is the author of The Democracy Amendments and has another book in progress.

Walking to Fix Our Democracy has several purposes: 

  • Raise awareness about the need, and ways, to avoid autocratic rule of government. 
  • Spotlight state and local democracy activist efforts along the route. 
  • To encourage short walks for the same purpose on specific, coordinated dates in communities across America. 
  • To encourage candidates for Congress and other levels of government to make fixing our democracy their lead issue, starting with the passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 

As Hubbard walks, he encourages citizens of all ages to walk with him, organize local walks,  invite him to speak to groups, high schools and colleges, and share his effort via social media.  “My logistics are mostly a volunteer effort,” said Hubbard.  “I depend on volunteers as I travel to help drive the RV, organize events and help get the word out.  This walk, like democracy,  isn’t a spectator sport!  It won’t be successful unless we all do our part to make it work,” he said. 

Learn more and how to get involved by visiting the website at www.fixourdemocracy.us.   

See the above page as a press release.   Are you a volunteer organizing a visit from Rick?   We have a special customizable press release for you to cut and paste for town visits.

For press inquiries, contact Brian Beihl.

The Walking to Fix Our Democracy Traveling RV