New Progressive Coalition Launches to Advocate for Increased Federal Investments, Fight Back Against Economic Misinformation

“ProsperUS” launches with seven-figure budget, will coordinate and drive advocacy for massive federal investments, fight back against damaging pushes for austerity

Coalition launches as some federal policymakers are already trying to water down robust COVID relief

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, major progressive labor, grassroots, movement, faith-based, and policy organizations at the state, local, and national level launched a new coalition called ProsperUS to advocate with one voice for large scale government investments. The coalition will make a coordinated push for bold and speedy action to invest in people and get the economy back on track in the face of the current COVID-19 crisis. 

ProsperUS will work over the coming months to combat disinformation, damaging calls for austerity, and other bad economics. ProsperUS will also urge policymakers to hear the demands of the people, meet the historic nature of the crises we face with bold ideas reflecting the best economics, and commit the public resources needed to implement them. We cannot address the racial and gender disparities that this crisis has highlighted and exacerbated without significant public investment.  

“Policymakers flubbed the response to the Great Recession and millions of workers and families paid the price,” said Lindsay Owens, interim Executive Director of Groundwork Collaborative. “We are proud to join the ProsperUS coalition and people across the country to demand that our government step up with the investments needed to tackle this crisis, help families keep their heads above water, and get our economy back on track.” 

“The COVID crisis has shined a spotlight on the massive inequality and glaring weaknesses in our economy. We need massive investments – right now – to help families keep their heads above water and make sure our economy is working for everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful.”

ProsperUS brings together influential organizations that focus on federal policy, work in states and localities, organize frontline communities, conduct and support economic research and data analysis, and narrative change. Initial members of the coalition include:

• Action Center on Race and the Economy

• AFGE Local 704

• Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

• Autistic Self Advocacy Network

• California Immigrant Policy Center

• Center for American Progress

• Center for Economic Policy Research

• Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)

• Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)

• Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research

• Center for Tax and Budget Accountability

• Coalition of Labor Union Women

• Colorado Fiscal Institute

• Communication Workers of America

• Demos

• Economic Opportunity Institute

• Economic Policy Institute

• Employ America

• ExtendPUA.org

• FPWA

• Groundwork Collaborative

• Health Care for American Now (HCAN)

• In the Public Interest

• Indivisible

• Insight Center for Community Economic Development

• Institute for Local Self-Reliance

• Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

• Invest in America

• Liberation in a Generation

• Make It Work Nevada

• MomsRising

• National Partnership for Women & Families

• National Women’s Law Center

• New Jersey Policy Perspective

• Partnership for Working Families

• Public Citizen

• Service Employees International Union

• Southern Poverty Law Center

• State Innovation Exchange (SiX)

• Tax March

• The Center for Popular Democracy

• TIME’S UP Foundation

• United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries

• Voices for Progress

• Working Families Party

ProsperUS Statement of Principles

The economic consensus is clear: the best hope for our economy to recover from this historic crisis is massive public investment to create jobs, raise wages, and keep people out of poverty. ProsperUs is fighting for our government to invest in a healthy, thriving economy and peoples’ economic security to end this crisis and to build healthier communities and a stronger economy for the long-term. 

Significant, equitable public investment is the only way to end the COVID-induced recession and rescue millions of families from economic ruin. It is key to addressing the harms government action and inaction have inflicted on workers, families, and communities, particularly Black and brown people, immigrants, disabled people, women, and other marginalized people. In the face of rising authoritarianism, climate change, historic unemployment, and other daunting challenges, we can build trust in government by acting now to help people who are hurting. And it is the only way to restructure the economy and public institutions so that they address peoples’ needs and include all people in an authentic democracy.

We believe:

• Bold, equitable public investment will build a stronger, more sustainable economy that works for all of us.

• Significant public investment is essential to address racial and gender disparities that long-preceded this economic crisis but are being dramatically exacerbated by COVID-19 and this recession.

• Government spending that prioritizes people’s needs is popular. People want government to use the tools it has, including public spending, to make their lives better and they will not be placated with hand-wringing about cost or fear-mongering about debt when helping them now will strengthen the economy. 

• Effective, smart governing government spending can help people achieve the security, peace of mind, health, and wellbeing they deserve, and our leaders must prioritize those investments now. 

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