Stacey Abrams on American Idealism and American Betrayal

I truly believe that we have work to do. I think that poverty is wrong. I think that we have failed to meet our obligations to those who are in need and vulnerable and disadvantaged and marginalized. I think we waste human capital through incarceration and through denial of basic services. And I know that the only way things change is if people do the work to create that change—and I'm one of those people.

I do not believe in conversion of ideology. That is a fundamental issue for me. I do believe in convincing people that choosing differently can get you better outcomes. And, so, my responsibility, our responsibility, is not the conversion of the ideological bent of those who share the nationalism and supremacy notions that drove that insurrection. Our responsibility is to say to those who are looking for a place to be—even if they hold to their normal conservatism—that voting in our party will get you the outcomes that you need ... My mission is to focus on an outcomes-driven, value-based, set of policies and to do everything in my power to make that so.

Democracy can only work when it works for everyone. When you break any part of democracy, you break it for everyone—no matter who your target is.