First, make sure the opponent is PROGRESSIVE. Second,

[Bouncy Ball]

Local Races.

In our haste to vote against the "Democrats" who voted for cloture today (the ones who are running this year and face a primary opponent), please just make sure the primary opponent you throw your money and vote at is not as bad or worse. I'm not saying people wouldn't check them out, but sometimes in the heat of anger, it's easy to say "YEAH! Whoever's running against that bastard!"

Secondly, I know local races don't have the glamour of the biggies. I know that. But I've been pimpin' local stuff like it's no one's business here for a couple of years. THAT'S where you start. Down low. School board, city council, state representative in your state capitol. Mayor. Stuff like that. Find good progressive candidates and work your ASS off to get them in elected positions. That's a faster way to at least make your little corner of the world better.

If we all did that for about five years (nothing's fast, ok?), we'd be in GREAT shape. Loads of good office holders to pick from to rise up to national level.

And don't assume just because you are in a "blue" state or a "blue" city that everything's cool. You've got to be vigilant about this stuff. I've been continually amazed at how sneaky and low the repukes are on the local level, well, LOL just like at the national level, I guess. But it just slips right past people on the local level and next thing you know, you got a state rep who is bugfuck insane and filled with hate, to boot.

Or you get a mayor who starts to slowly but surely turn things conservative. Right under your nose.

So watch that shit. It's sneaky, but it's right in your backyard.

[Lars39]

1. And none of this "New Democrat" crap.

We've seen how well that works out.

[Bouncy Ball]

2. I've never even heard of that, fill me in?

[Lars39]

4. DLC creation, Republican lite group.

On major votes you always see the New Dems vote with the Repubs.

[Bouncy Ball]

7. HA! Well, yeah, none of that crap. Hear, hear.

We don't need that shit.

Another thing: you can form PACs just to support local progressive candidates. Look into your state laws and just do it.

[Virginia Dare]

11. Sounds good, but here in Virginia

We have a choice between Republican and Republican Lite. I have no plans to move to Massachusetts anytime soon unfortunately.

[Bouncy Ball]

12. Hello, I'm in Texas.

I can't move to Massachusetts.

But I can and do reject both republican and republican lite.

Which leads me to pointing back to my second point in the opening post. Local races. Those good progressive people who are willing to run are out there. Maybe you are one of them?

[liberalpress]

13. Good, but I'm not using the word "progressive"

I'm using the word "liberal." It's a good word, an historic word, our word, and I'm taking it back.

[Trevelyan]

3. FireDogLake said she was going to get involved on the local level and that

O'Neill always said that all politics is local.

Thanks for the encouragement.

[Bouncy Ball]

5. Who is FireDogLake?

A blogger?

And O'Neill was right. I've been amazed at the whole world that exists on this level.

I forgot to add, for anyone who's ever been tempted to run for office, now is a great time. I'm not the type, but we sure could use all we can get.

NEVER let a repuke run unchallenged. Never. I don't care if it's city dogcatcher. I don't care if the Dem doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell, at least it'll do two things: make the repuke spend their money (hee hee) and get a Dem's name out in front of the people, let them know they're fighting.

And some races take two times to win. Remember that, too.

[lastliberalintexas]

6. Since we have zero control of anything right now anyway,

I think it's more important to send the 18 so-called Democrats a message than to worry about their opponents' stands for the time being. Is Lieberman's primary opponent more progressive? Who cares?! The Democratic establishment needs to learn and understand that voters mean business, are watching their votes and that they *will* face the consequences.

Once we get rid of the 18, then we can start to work on their replacements' votes. And with the real threat of reprisal hanging over their heads, even once moderate Dems might start to see the light. If not, we go after them next.

Yes, I'd feel differently if that D behind Cantwell's name meant that we controlled the committees, set the agenda, etc. But we don't, so it means nothing right now to have a Landrieu in office if she won't vote with us when the chips are down. Send them a message loud and clear, and let them know that they can join the republican party if they want to vote with the republicans.

[Bouncy Ball]

8. I see what you're saying, but I care if the guy you

replace Leiberman with is as bad or worse. What't the point in that?

[lastliberalintexas]

14. It's only worse in the short run

I'm not saying that I'd actually enjoy replacing Lieberman, Cantwell et al with someone worse- I'd much rather it be with someone more progressive. But for the long run, I think it's more important that the elected Dem officials get the *message* behind a Liberman loss than anything else we could get out of it.

The elected Dem officials rightfully think that they can act with impunity and continue to vote the DLC, New Dem triangulation way into oblivion. We need to show them that they can't do that anymore and that there will be consequences for voting with the republicans.


And yes, the long run solution to our problem is rebuilding the Dem party from the ground up, or even starting with a new party. The republicans started taking over city councils, school boards etc 30 years ago, and the last 5 years have been their "reward" for a great deal of work.

[Telly Savalas]

9. That's right. If you don't have the money to buy big name free agents...

ya gotta develop your farm system. Local politics is the best training ground for higher offices. Furthermore, they are in charge of a lot of important policy which has big impacts on our daily lives. (e.g. zoning laws: if we'd design our cities so that you could actually get to places by walking, our fuel consumption and hence dependence on foreign oil would go down.)

[Bouncy Ball]

10. Exactly. It has affected me and my family far more

having Progressive Guy A on the school board than it would have having Somewhat Progressive Guy B in the Senate.

I'm not saying national stuff isn't important, of course it is. But I saw another thread where someone was talking about how the people he works with didn't even know there was a vote on cloture today and I wondered how many people here at DU know the names of the people on their city council, school board, their state rep, their district number, etc. I would imagine more than the general population, but not enough.

Go to City Council meetings, or at least read the minutes--they're probably online.

Go to school board meetings, or at least read the minutes--they're probably online.

Get to know people who Know People.

At the last open forum we had for debate before the 2004 election, there were about 70 people there. Um. This was in a city of over 175,000 people. And most of the 70 who were there were campaign people. Only a handful were unaffilated residents.

And there were candidates speaking for judicial positions, mayor, state rep, you NAME it. Everything.

Find out what's going on with your county or parish Democratic party organization. If it's ailing, ask: what can we do to make it strong?

[stray cat]

15. Do we really want to win back the senate

or to feel self righteous?

[lastliberalintexas]

17. Personally I couldn't give a shit about the Senate

Without the federal courts, Congress (and even the presidency) means nothing. I've posted this before, but let me remind folks- it was a Dem Congress that passed the ADA and a republican president who signed it, only to see it emasculated into meaningless legislation by the federal courts. And those federal courts were more moderate and/or liberal than the federal courts of today.

LIFETIME appointments versus a Senate seat that is guaranteed only 6 years? I'll take the courts, please.

[IronLionZion]

16. All politics is local

all of it, yes, it's all local. Think globally, act locally.

You get some really excellent people at the local level. Once you get in the bigger races, you have to mess with special interest money and all kinds of bullshit.