Contact: Maddy McDaniel, Communications Director
[email protected]

The Politics of Public Investment Are Changing — Economists, Business Leaders, the American People Agree that America Needs Historic Levels of Public Investment to Rescue the Economy and Create Long Term Prosperity 

Spearheaded by Veteran Campaign Operatives, the Operation Will Debunk Arguments Claiming We Can’t Afford To Invest in American Communities

NEW: Invest in America Unveils First TV Ad Campaign Highlighting the Urgent Need for a Coronavirus Relief Package

77% of Voters Want Another Stimulus Package, New Polling from GQR Shows

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, a team of seasoned political operatives are launching Invest in America, a national rapid response operation to advocate for robust public investment that will rescue the economy from the COVID crisis and create prosperity for the future, and to debunk arguments by deficit fear-mongers falsely claiming that we can’t afford to invest in American families, businesses, and communities. Visit InvestInAmericaNow.com for the latest polling and research on public investment.

As a champion for public investment in the fight to rescue and grow the American economy, Invest in America will deploy aggressive communications, digital, research, and paid media campaigns to make the case that bold action from the federal government is both overwhelmingly popular and urgently needed.

Invest in America will:

  • Produce a steady stream of cutting-edge paid TV, digital, and radio ad campaigns focusing on the importance of public investment.

  • Amplify key stakeholder voices including business and labor leaders, economists, elected officials, advocacy organizations, families, and workers — all united towards the common goal of rescuing and then growing the American economy.

  • Release regular polling, research, fact sheets, and reports to debunk bad faith arguments for spending cuts that would gut American businesses and communities.

  • Provide messaging support for leaders in government and advocacy that are fighting for the prosperity of American communities, businesses, and families.

NEW TV & DIGITAL AD

As part of its launch, the operation is debuting its first ad, “We Need to Act,” that underscores the urgent need for robust public investment to reverse the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic, and makes the case that smart investing now will pay dividends down the road. With over 300,000 businesses closed and 10 million unemployed, the American people need much more than the last relief bill offered — they need direct checks, renter’s and homeowner’s aid, aid for small businesses, aid for state and local governments to help support schools and prevent layoffs of first responders and other critical employees, and more.

The ad will run on widely-watched programming including MSNBC’s Morning Joe, CNN’s New Day, and hyper-targeted digital platforms.

NEW POLLING ON COVID RESCUE PACKAGE

The operation is also releasing new polling from GQR demonstrating broad support from voters across the political spectrum for urgently needed public investment. More than half of voters said that the previous stimulus packages weren’t enough, and 77% say the government should pass another.

OUR TEAM

Invest in America is spearheaded by veteran strategist Zac Petkanas, former communications director to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Director of Rapid Response for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.

The project is helmed by battle-tested operatives fresh off the nation’s most competitive presidential, congressional, and advocacy campaigns — from Warren for President to the DCCC to Everytown For Gun Safety:

Lauren Chou, hailing from the EMILY’s List campaign communications team, will be Deputy Press Secretary.

Elizabeth DeHaan, an administrator with nearly a decade of experience, most recently supporting a victim’s rights law firm, will be Office Manager.

Paul Dhillon, a veteran of city government and former Senior Research Analyst at the DCCC, will be Director of Policy Research.

Jake Hajdu, former Director of Outreach for Senator Tammy Baldwin and frequent flyer on presidential campaigns including Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign and Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 campaign, will be Director of Outreach.

Madeline McDaniel, who previously worked to change the politics of gun violence prevention and sparred with the gun lobby at Everytown for Gun Safety, will be Communications Director.

Juan Niño, an experienced researcher for Senate campaigns and the DCCC, will be Director of Opposition Research.

Lee Sova-Claypool, an expert digital communications strategist and former Director of Influencer Engagement for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 campaign, will be Digital Director.

“Bold public investment isn’t just good policy, it’s good politics — and widely supported by economists, business leaders, and the American people,” said Zac Petkanas, senior advisor to Invest in America. “We can no longer afford the small thinking and petty partisan politics that have led to chronic underinvestment in our communities — especially when the pandemic has ravaged our economy and families are struggling to put food on the table. Now is the time for the federal government to take bold action to rescue the economy, and then make the overdue public investments to shore up our economic growth for the future.”

Highlights from the new poll include:

  • More than half of respondents said that the amount of assistance in past COVID-19 relief bills has been too little.

  • 77% of respondents said the government should pass another major stimulus package

  • Nearly 70% of respondents who called for another stimulus package said it should be larger than the December stimulus bill, calling for more relief by a 64 point margin.

About Invest in America

Invest In America is a national rapid response operation advocating for robust public investment to rescue the economy from the COVID crisis and create prosperity for the future, and to fight back against fear-mongers who use deficit concerns as a scapegoat to starve American communities and businesses of resources.

The operation consists of two components: Invest in America, the charitable and public education arm, which is a fiscally sponsored project of Economic Security Project funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Economic Security Project co-chair Chris Hughes; and Invest in America Action, the advocacy and social welfare arm, which is a fiscally sponsored project of Economic Security Project Action funded by Chris Hughes and the Omidyar Network.

Learn more at InvestInAmericaNow.com and @InvestNowUSA, and InvestinAmericaProject.com.

 

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