Progressive Democrat Issue 70: THOUGHTS

Here are my thoughts about Election 2006: People are getting too optimistic. Or, more to the point, I am not seeing the activism amount progressives that it will take to win. We correctly recognize that this year could be our year. With Republican corruption finally being revealed even in the mainstreet media, with Bush's popularity rating falling lower and lower, dragging down his party like a rock, with new, smarter leadership at the DNC, and with many wonderful candidates, including many brave veterans who oppose Bush's war, we could clean up big time, retaking both houses. The opportunity is there and it really could happen. But...

The Republicans still have more money, still control the media, still in some states control the voting machines. I also have seen in many, many elections the left having an ideal opportunity and bungling it. How can we make sure we get the most from this year's election? Well, we should do what the Republicans do. They never stop looking to the next election, donating, connecting with their base...in essence campaigning for the next election. We need to be busy now as if the election were next month.

It is with that in mind that I am going to be focusing a more on election 2006. I will introduce a recurring theme that takes the optimism we feel and run with it. I am going to imagine our best case and suggest what we need to do to achieve it. In essence, I am imagining particular states where we could just possibly make a sweep of the election and I am going to make Act Blue lists for people from around the nation to donate to key races that could make that sweep possible. This week I am focusing on NY State, so if it seems I am too focused on my home this week, don't worry. I have plans for Iowa, Indiana, Nevada... The Sweep Movement is aimed not just for NY State, but for the Heartland of America. Read more below.

And I have to say Howard Dean seems to know what we need to do. This issue I am also highlighting his Neighbor-to-Neighbor organizing day, which clearly is designed to bring out activists and get them connecting with voters in their neighborhoods starting in April. Brilliant idea. Together, aiming for complete sweeps of particular states along with early connecting with voters to get our message out within our own neighborhoods, I think this will win it for us. All we gotta do is, to borrow Nike's slogan, Just Do It!