Go read Josh Marshall's plan of action!

[annerevere]

at Talking Points Memo (top post). He has an excellent perspective on what we should be doing for the long-term. A great post.

Go read it now!

Link: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[Robbie67]

1. oh please

The left of the Democratic party was told sit down and shut up. It has been for years.

The only Dem unity in this election was dislike for Bush.

[annerevere]

2. I didn't read that at all

Marshall makes the point that we've begun building the kind of infrastructure that the Repubs have done and that we should build upon our efforts. But we've only begun to build it in the last year or so. We can't abandon it now.

He is correct. We win if the have the kind of media and ground network strength that the Repubs have.

Without it, we can't win.

[Robbie67]

10. Strength of what?

Our liberal convictions?

[KoKo]

4. I agree....I understood Josh was trying to be positive as he probably is

coping with his own anger (remember his big scoop got trashed by CBS) but I wasn't in a mood to hear what he said. I was told that after Selection 2000 after the Mid-Terms, after the Primary Battles and I've damnnd well heard it enough....

If we don't get help out there from the "TOP" we aren't going to be able to do much. I'm tapped out financially and emotionally working for this Party. A pep talk like I'm not politically aware isn't what I need to hear at this moment.

Others will probably find it comforting..though. It just depends on how long you've been fighting.

[Cleita]

13. I am with you KoKo01.

I'm taking what little money I can spare and my activism elsewhere where they will do more good IMO. I will do everything I can to sabotage this corporate system of ours to bring us to a true democracy of the people and for the people. I will take a page out of the neo-cons book, by doing it legally, but I will not support this system anymore.

On edit: The Democratic Party isn't getting one red cent of my money anymore.

[papau]

3. Excellent - 4 key paragraphs below:

(November 03, 2004

<snip>I remember talking to Simon Rosenberg, the head of the New Dem Network, at the Democratic convention last summer. You'll remember, he and his group were profiled in the Times magazine around that time. The article, in brief, was about plans to create a Democratic-leaning counter-establishment along the lines of what Republicans did two generations ago -- with an alternative media, activist groups, organized political giving, in short a political infrastructure. <snip>

Take time to feel the desolation and disappointment. But I remain confident that time is not on the side of the kind of values and politics that President Bush represents. It took conservatives two decades to build up the institutional muscle they have today. Though I was always nervous about the result, I thought we could win this election. But it was always naive to believe that that sort of institutional heft could be put together in 24 or 36 months.

President Bush and the Republicans now control the entire national government, even more surely now than they have over the last four years. They do so on the basis of garnering the votes of 51% or 52% of the population. But they will use that power as though there were no opposition at all. That needs to be countered.

Leave today for disappointment. Tomorrow, think over which of these various groups and organizations you think has made the best start toward what I've described above, go to their website, and give money or volunteer. After that, okay sure, take a few more days for disappointment, maybe a few more weeks. But this takes time. And you shouldn't lose heart. The same division in the country remains, the same stalemate. The other side just got the the ball a yard or two into our side of the field rather than the reverse. And we have to deal with the serious consequences of that. Tomorrow's the day to start.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. I'm glad you posted that part

If there is an Achilles heel for the Bushies, it is their arrogance. We will oppose and resist. We will prevail.

[Robbie67]

11. Prevail over what?

Bush's arrogance is irrelevant. The Pukes will run a much more moderate candidate in 08 and the left will lose again. Isn't it time for something different?

[SeattleDem]

19. and that much more moderate candidate will be....

McCain.

We discussed that in my house this morning. Why else has he bitten his tongue and cozied up to Bush these last 4 years? 2008 is his turn.

[Ducks In A Row]

5. most of it is giving up bullshit

kerry is too blame for giving up.

the dems didn't really unite, because they shut up people like Whoopi and Cho.

It's time to fight the DLC and get our party back. We're not winning crap this way (minority's in the house and senate for HOW long now?)

it's time to be proud and LIBERAL, and kick the rethugs in the ass with it.

[AZCat]

6. I still can't get to www.talkingpointsmemo.com

Anyone else having problems accessing Marshall's site?

Note: Thanks to those of you who posted part of his post.

[Kolesar]

7. I thought that was what we were doing for the last two years

Honestly, the article did not excite me.

[phantom power]

14. that's the point. Two years isn't much.

Like he said, the conservative movement has been working for over 20 years to obtain the kind of power they have.

This isn't about excitement. It's about committment.

[Kolesar]

17. Well, I did learn about "targeted precincts" and "walk lists"

Marshall's memo wandered a lot.

[Fridays Child]

8. Neo-liberals? Dittohead progressives?

By our very nature, we shun groupthink. I don't know if such a thing could happen.

Long ago, on this forum, someone suggested that we all move to California, rename it West France (in recognition of California wines), then secede from the Union. I still like the idea.

[puddycat]

12. I'm thinking seriously about joining the Green party.

I'm amazed the amount of people they have in the local elections in my state. Its a growing movement and I agree with much of what they have to say.

The Democrats have cooperated with the Republicans for far too long, and morphed into them, all the while putting up with the word "liberal" used as a slander!

[Cleita]

15. I am too.

They need more of us with level heads to plan a winning strategy, not just sabotage our own interests with unviable candidates. Any spare money I have, they will get as well as MoveOn.

May the tree-hugging games begin. :-)

[Voltaire99]

16. Marshall's wrong: the first fight is to take back the Democratic Party

...from the corporate swine who lead it.

If that is accomplished, then we can think about such matters as winning elections.

Until then, well...how many more insta-concession speeches do you have the stomach for?

[sir_arms_50]

18. agreed!

Take back the party from the moderates