REAL - Responsible Effective American Leadership

REAL stands for Responsible Effective American Leaders. We are a 501(c)4 organization that aims to reinvent the Democratic Party by recruiting candidates who can compete across America while upholding our shared values. We support these candidates and their agendas with grassroots networks and a state-of-the-art digital communications operation to counter the extremist politics that have come to dominate online. And we are working to keep the party grounded in political reality with deep analysis of policy outcomes, public opinion, and election results. We aren't just looking to win the next election cycle — we are building a permanent political infrastructure for pragmatic Democrats.

Where We Stand

Working Americans First

We believe the Democratic Party exists to champion the aspirations and desires of working Americans, not affluent elites. The party strayed from that mission and we aim to bring it back.

Free Enterprise

We believe the free market, regulated in the public interest, is the best engine of economic growth. We believe in abundant growth and wealth creation, not a zero-sum scarcity mentality that pits Americans against each other. We favor policies that are pro-worker and pro-business, reward hard work, encourage entrepreneurial risk-taking, and keep America on the cutting edge of innovation.

Upward Mobility

We believe America must give every child an equal opportunity to achieve the American dream by guaranteeing high skills for all, not college for all. Public schools will close achievement gaps by increasing accountability, not bureaucracy, and raising standards, not retreating from rigor and merit. Working Americans deserve a new post-secondary system that enables them to get job experience, in-demand skills, and credentials quickly and affordably.

Lower Cost of Living

We believe fiscal discipline, robust competition, and open trade are essential to keeping prices down and lowering the cost of living in America. Today's toxic combination of unchecked deficit spending and high-tariff protectionism can only lead to economic stagnation and falling living standards.

Government Reform

We believe in reinventing government. Rather than reflexively defend public sector dysfunction, we embrace radical reforms aimed at making government better, not bigger.

Energy Abundance

We believe our party needs a smarter clean energy and climate strategy. Harnessing all U.S. energy sources and technologies to power our economy and cut costs for families is the right way to build majority support for America's clean energy transition.

Affordable Health Care

We believe health care costs are out of control and must be cut for both patients and taxpayers. We also believe government should stay out of personal decisions between patients and their doctors.

American Identity

We believe our nation's founding principles define a shared civic inheritance – a common American identity that transcends race, gender, ethnicity and religion. Public schools should teach our children what it means to be an American and steer clear of today's divisive and illiberal identity politics.

Orderly Immigration

We believe secure borders underpin our national identity and the rule of law. Instead of decriminalizing illegal immigration, we must modernize our laws to lawfully admit all the workers our economy needs to thrive.

Crime and Public Safety

We believe supporting law enforcement who understand their job is to combat anti-social behavior is the key to preventing crime and making our communities safer. We do not support defunding the police and we oppose the Trump administration's politicization of federal law enforcement agencies.

Strong Defense

We believe the United States must maintain the greatest military in the world to defend our freedoms and interests. Furthermore, America must use its strength to lead the world's free and democratic societies in collective security, not pursue a policy of appeasement for tyrants or terrorists.