Lead or Leave

{{Short description|American political action group}}

{{Infobox organization

|name = Lead or Leave

|image =

|slogan =

|membership =

|leader_title =

|leader_name =

|type = Political action group

|founders = Rob Nelson, Jonathan Cowan

|headquarters = United States

|formation = 1992

|dissolved = 1995

|website =

}}

Lead or Leave (also known as Lead... or Leave) was an American grassroots political action group from 1992 to 1995. Led by Rob Nelson and Jonathan Cowan,[http://thirdway.org/staff/2 Thirdway.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131003953/http://thirdway.org/staff/2 |date=2010-01-31 }} it focused on reducing the deficit and fighting for generational equity. Lead or Leave garnered national attention with an accountability pledge that asked the President and all members of Congress to pledge to cut the federal deficit in half in four years or leave office.{{cite news |title=THE NATION; 'Lead . . . or Leave' Asks: Who's Spending Our Inheritance? (Published 1993) |work=The New York Times |date=14 March 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406102032/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/14/weekinreview/the-nation-lead-or-leave-asks-who-s-spending-our-inheritance.html |archive-date=2023-04-06 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/14/weekinreview/the-nation-lead-or-leave-asks-who-s-spending-our-inheritance.html |last1=Barringer |first1=Felicity }} The "mini-movement" became so prominent it was featured on 60 Minutes, Nightline, Good Morning America and The Today Show, creating a stir in "MTV-DC" during the Clinton years.[https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-16868943 Online Library]{{dead link|date=July 2021}}{{cite news |title=THE NATION; 'Lead . . . or Leave' Asks: Who's Spending Our Inheritance? (Published 1993) |work=The New York Times |date=14 March 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406102032/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/14/weekinreview/the-nation-lead-or-leave-asks-who-s-spending-our-inheritance.html |archive-date=2023-04-06 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/14/weekinreview/the-nation-lead-or-leave-asks-who-s-spending-our-inheritance.html |last1=Barringer |first1=Felicity }}[http://www.nbcuniversalarchives.com/nbcuni/clip/5112554989_s09.do NBC Universal]

They mobilized thousands of young Americans, and in the process gained the support of numerous national political and business leaders, including billionaire and former independent presidential candidate Ross Perot,[https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-16868943 Online Library]{{dead link|date=July 2021}} prominent investment banker Peter G. Peterson, Chicago commodity broker Richard Dennis,[https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/1992-09-27/cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die-ill-cut-the-deficit Bloomberg Businessweek] and former senator and Democratic presidential candidate Paul Tsongas.[https://www.baltimoresun.com/1992/08/06/tsongas-rudman-back-plan-to-force-candidates-to-sign-anti-deficit-pledge/ Baltimore Sun] In February, 1993, Cowan and Nelson were featured on the cover of U.S. News & World Report with the headline, "The Twentysomething Rebellion – How It Will Change America."[http://www.newsweek.com/politics-gen-xs-dynamic-duo-flames-out-183176 Newsweek] Nelson has been described by The New York Times as "one of the original Generation X spokesmen."{{cite news |title=TV NOTES; Talk for Young Viewers (Published 1999) |work=The New York Times |date=18 August 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406142629/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/18/arts/tv-notes-talk-for-young-viewers.html |archive-date=2023-04-06 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/18/arts/tv-notes-talk-for-young-viewers.html |last1=Mifflin |first1=Lawrie }}