Citizens in Charge

The streets of Washington, DC are lined with the offices of non-profits, advocacy groups, and other organizations. Most people who live, work, or travel in DC probably don’t even notice when they go past the Heritage Foundation or the Brookings Institution, much less wonder about what those organizations do. With our offices nestled among those of orthodontists, architects and insurance agencies 25 miles outside of the District in Lake Ridge, VA,  Citizens in Charge Foundation doesn’t always fall so far under the radar.

Visitors to the building often ask, “Citizens in Charge Foundation, what’s that all about?”, and we always appreciate the opportunity to explain that we are a voting rights organization dedicated to protecting and expanding ballot initiative and referendum. I recently got an opportunity to give that explanation to someone making a delivery to the office. She immediately asked, “What side are you guys on, conservative or liberal?” When I explained to her that we are a transpartisan organization that isn’t on either side but in the middle, her face lit up and she grabbed my hand and shook it. “That’s great, I’m in the middle, we need more people in the middle!” she replied. My smile was as big as hers as I told her I completely agreed.

Here at Citizens in Charge Foundation we don’t just support the initiative process or initiatives to push an ideology or party line, we support the initiative process because we believe in the people being in charge of their government. It is up to the people to decide what they want to use the initiative process to do, and whatever they want to do through initiative we work for their right to do it. We stay in the middle because it is important that everyone get an opportunity to make their voice heard, and I have to tell you, it feels pretty good to be in the middle.