Driving along Nebraska’s roads this month, you might spot an 82-year-old man with an American flag, walking east and ready to have a conversation about ways to make U.S. democracy work for everyone. That’s Rick Hubbard, and he and his team are making their way across the country, one step at a time, for the cause.
Why Rick is walking, in his own words:
“Nations that enact laws and policies prioritizing the common good of all its population on the most important issues affecting us all will, over time, tend to rise over other nations that don’t. In America, Rick asserts, there is no good reason why all its 335 million residents can’t enjoy:
›› An economy based on capitalism that spreads its benefits broadly among us all;
›› A healthcare system that provides high-quality healthcare to every one of us at the lowest system-wide cost, in a manner that is economically and socially sustainable;
›› The same positive results on other issues like education, climate change, consumer safety, financial regulation, defense, and more; and
›› A political system that is organized and funded to be fair, inclusive, equitable, and competitive so those we elect to represent the interests of people on both the federal and state levels will properly do the job they take an oath to do. Federally, that job is to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and (most importantly) provide for our general welfare. While most state constitutional language varies, each similarly promotes serving our common public good.
“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, when they cannot and do not achieve the majority needed to enact appropriate law and policy, it leaves us in today’s situation. Most of those we have elected have been incentivized to act in ways that place their re-election interests, those of influential campaign funders, and those of political parties above the common, broad interests of the American people. Our nation has been hurt by this dysfunction, and we must fix it.”
Where’s Rick now?
Walking to Fix our Democracy is currently moving across Nebraska (see route). Rick and his team will be in Lincoln by May 29, 2024, and Omaha by June 6, 2024. Along the way, they are collaborating with several organizations – including Civic Nebraska – to bring attention to what Nebraskans are saying and emphasize the need for greater engagement and reform.
The walk was sparked by Rick, a Vermonter who with support from volunteers began his cross-country walk in Los Angeles. Along the way, Rick is engaging, activating, supporting, and collaborating with organizations and individuals to highlight the purpose of the walk. The message is simple: Fixing our democracy first is the quickest and most effective way to avoid autocracy and unlock progress on every other issue important to us all.
After Nebraska, the nationwide walk will pass through Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan in the later summer and fall, and head through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland this winter. The walk will end in Washington, D.C., the week before the inauguration in January 2025.
