P2024   |   P2020     |   P2016    |    P2012    |    P2008    |    P2004    |    P2000

Let's Make Our Democracy Work!

The Democracy in Action websites, which I started running in 1998, are designed to help readers follow and understand presidential campaigns.  I seek to provide context and perspective on the presidential campaign process and to connect you, the reader, with the best available resources on the subject so you can get involved and have an impact, regardless of your partisan or ideological views. 

Within the Democracy in Action framework, I document the activities of Key Players (candidates/potential candidates and their organizations, political parties, interest groups, media and voters), provide Chronology, feature Photodog (photo coverage), and cover general developments affecting the presidential campaigns.  My philosophy is to keep it simple, keep to the basics, and leave the bells and whistles to others.

 

BACKGROUND

I launched Democracy in Action on the web in May 1998.  Broadly, the aim is to educate citizens about the political process and their role in making it work.  Specifically the objective is to provide news, context and perspective on presidential campaigns.  

I have not incorporated Democracy in Action, but it has been my pen name since launch.  Democracy in Action has absolutely no connection with MoveOn or DemocracyinAction.org (which both arrived on the scene later) or with any other group.  This is non-ideological, non-partisan project dedicated to educating citizens about and documenting presidential campaigns and political communications generally. 

My goal is to make the sites better every day, and my main focus has always been on getting the content right.  Readers will note, for example, that these sites do not perform optimally on mobile devices.  I have improved navigation and design since P2000, but there is much room for further improvements.  (Note that if you get lost, clicking on the top banner or the bottom "Democracy in Action" will always take you back, or there is always the back on your browser).

Users will also note that I'm not active on social media.  I find Twitter/Facebook are very useful tools for following the campaign, but believe that keeping up a robust  social media presence would distract from the main objective of keeping the websites in tip-top shape. 

I'm interested in how political entities from across the spectrum are communicating their ideas.  I seek to understand what works and what does not.  My particular interest or bias is visual aspects of political communications—images that resonate.  I have photographed presidential campaigns including a limited amount in 1992 and full campaigns from 1996 on.

In addition to the websites, I have pursued several other projects at Democracy in Action.

•  Prior to running the websites, I developed CD-ROMs on the 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns.

•  I edited, in collaboration with the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, two books: “The Race for the 2008 Democratic Nomination” and “The Race for the 2008 Republican Nomination” (Pelican Publishing, July 2008).

•  I have done work on magazine cover portrayal of presidential campaigns and presidents from 1999 to 2020, organizing three exhibits.  If you have a suitable venue, covers are available for exhibits.

•  I have assembled the Campaign Literature Archive, a library of general election campaign literature from almost every major candidate for U.S. Senate and governor since 1989.  The library focuses on introductory print lit. pieces (actual paper), and I have been working on digitizing the materials as well.  Although the importance of campaign literature has declined with the rise of the Internet, basic literature pieces can tell us much about the candidates and issues of the day (+).

•  I authored a manuscript "WINNING: How Donald Trump Vanquished 16 Other Candidates and Won the 2016 Republican Nomination."

•  I believe there should be a resource center—an actual physical space here in Washington, DC—where visitors to our nation's capital can learn about current debates and about their role in making our democracy work.

ERIC M. APPLEMAN

I have managed all aspects of this work including covering hundreds of major and minor events (photography and writing) Iowa caucus and NH primary campaigns and national conventions since the 1996 cycle as well as doing research, editing and design.

I grew up in Southern California, oldest of three brothers.  The 1976 campaign is the first one I can remember.  I recall the excitement of going to a rally for a U.S. Senate candidate in the local park, as well as looking in the windows of the local party headquarters and seeing all the signs and literature.  My interest in campaigns continued.  During the 1988 presidential campaign, I produced a HyperCard project on my Mac SE. 

After some difficult years, thanks to the patience and support of my parents, M. Michael and Irma Appleman, who kept the faith, I eventually reached The George Washington University.  Benefitting from great professors and the interest and activity of living in a great city, I graduated with a B.A. in political communication summa cum laude.  While at GW, I organized an exhibit at Gelman Library on the 1992 campaign, and I started working on my Field Guide to the 1992 Presidential Campaign CD-ROM.  Next, under contract, I developed the content for a CD-ROM on the 1996 presidential campaign, in conjunction with WMUR-TV. 

I started online in May 1998 with the P2000 website and continued with the P2004, P2008, P2012, P2016 and P2020 websites.  The 2000, 2004 and 2008 editions of this site were built and hosted on The George Washington University server (it was known to many as "the GW site").  I then earned a certificate in graphic and web design from the CDIA at Boston University in Washington, DC.  Over the years I have had the opportunity to observe a number of overseas elections, which have broadened my understanding and perspective on how we conduct our elections here in the United States.  See more at my personal page here. 

I'd like know what you think.  If you have ideas, suggestions, comments or criticisms please send an email (action08@gmail...) with a clear subject line.

Thank you for your input and your consideration.

..

Eric M. Appleman
Democracy in Action
www.democracyinaction.us
action08@gmail  ...
c. 310 496-9633
mail:
Eric M. Appleman
767 Radcliffe Ave.
Pacific Palisades, CA  90272

About

P2020

Contents

Make our democracy work.

Make your vote an informed one.

Donations to help with this work would be greatly appreciated.
(contributions are not tax-deductible)
 

ADVERTISEMENT