I'm beginning to think this Coffee Party thing may have legs.

[rucky]

It reminds me of the Howard Dean campaign, with the meetups and all, but it's not centered around a person. Obama's campaign did that, too, but both of them were using the social model to present views from the top-down. This seems to be a social canvas for people to organize amongst themselves. It's not centered around a specific cause, or a real platform - but I'm beginning to think it's a good thing that it's not well-defined like a conventional organization.

The organizers seem to have their shit together, and the members seem to all be on the same page about the important stuff, like being civil.

More importantly, I don't think it takes itself too seriously (hence the name) - so it's not really off-putting to the non-wonkish types.

[Little Star]

1. We need something to organize us, maybe this will be it, who knows!

[Fire1]

16. I agree. This may be the ticket. n/t

[old mark]

2. It seems to already be making the tea baggers crazy, so it has

value for me right there. I see some 'bagers are complaining we stole their idea, the coffee party is not legitimate, etc etc....

I think it is a real, positive step and we certainly could use a little unification and identity.

Let's win the next 2 elections and then send out for some cake to go with the coffee.

mark

[rucky]

3. Air makes the tea baggers crazy.

but yeah - that's a bonus.

[pnorman]

4. I don't think of it as a viable "movement" per se.

Nor do I regard it as worthy of anyone's serious efforts. There are far worthier projects to engage in. But as an appropriate lapel ornament or bumper sticker? Just the sight of it would drive those Teabaggers WILD!

[WatchWhatISay]

5. We need the concept, but I hate the name

Lets frame it as common sense, not a reaction to a bunch of wackos

[AllentownJake]

6. It is the OFA reboot

Forgive me, everything I've read has DLC fingerprints on it.

[Little Star]

7. How so?

[AllentownJake]

8. The founder happens to be an OFA videographer

The organization is going to turn out to be as grassroots and controlled as the Tea Baggers.

I'm sticking with DFA, at least I know Howard Dean will take a swing at the administration when warranted.

[rucky]

10. Campaign reform is one of the few things on the platform.

don't think the DLC would even want to mention that.

[AllentownJake]

11. Yeah it was on Baracks as well

I'll stick with DFA. This entire thing smells funny.

[BeFree]

21. I don't get this...

..all it is is democracy in action, this coffee party busyness.
We all complain that people don't take action, yet when they do everyone fucking starts complaining?

Sometimes I wonder how many activists there are here, and how many are dilettantes.

[AllentownJake]

22. I'm choosing not to affiliate with this new group

I choose not to affiliate with Moveon.org and OFA for the reason they are too close to democratic party establishment, which is something that needs to be advocated against at times.

Sorry, I see a direct tie to the party machine in this, and as such, I'm not really that interested.

If I want to be involved in the party, I'll go back to being an officer in it. At least than I get invited to nice dinners and comped.

[Subdivisions]

31. What kind of action did you take inside that Starbucks? n/t

[ChicagoSuz219]

9. The jury's still out for me. n/t

[asdjrocky]

12. Don't trust 'em.

Not sure why yet.

[AllentownJake]

13. What a bunch of upper middle class white liberals

discussing things in Starbucks, yeah I trust that about as much as I trust a bunch of upper middle class conservatives with socialism signs.

I think this is one case, when our arguments we've had converge and we agree.

[asdjrocky]

14. Here's how I see it Jake,

the movement we had was a history making election. Things were supposed to change after that, and now look at us.

All the coffee in the world won't make them do their job, and besides that, it all seems like smoke and mirrors to me. Also, I saw that woman on Cspan the other day and she is nothing but a fence sitter. She uses hundreds of words to make everyone happy and piss no one off. Someone here will write a book. Someone will make a documentary. Someone will get famous. Someone will make a lot of money. But these people won't change shit.

We are long past talking over coffee, we need real action.

[AllentownJake]

15. The woman was an employee for OFA

Do you need any more information.

[Subdivisions]

25. A-fucking-MEN to that! Screw a stupid Coffee Party. Smoke and mirrors, indeed.

And you're right about Anabelle Park too, wishy-washy as hell and unable to articulate a clear and concise mission, saying only that "we need to ensure the government is working for us". YEAH RIGHT! In your dreams, Anabelle. And, just how the fuck does she think the Coffee Party is going to do that anyway?

[asdjrocky]

29. I understand she also worked to elect Jim Webb.

The Senator that appears to be willing to slow down DADT.

I'm just too tired of voting for one thing and getting another. I'm sick of Republican Lite, and I'm sick to death of wishy-washy. We voted, we won, now can't we get going and fucking get something done?

Smoke and mirrors is right. Go to a meeting, it'll take your mind of losing your house or not having a job.

It's time for DC to just do its fucking job.

Mini-rant, off.

[Subdivisions]

30. The whole idea is as stupid as the tea party. How are you going to

change a government system that oppresses and screws us at every turn with a Starbucks coffee clutch chatting politics over the sound of an expresso machine in the background. Answer: You ain't!

The only way anything will change is if you use the power given to us as "We the People" in our nation's founding charter "to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for (our) future security", as is our right and our duty to do under the current circumstances.

The last thing we need right now is yet another rudderless movement.

[quiller4]

17. The group at my Starbucks was far from all white and at least

half blue collar. Four I recognized as active volunteers in past Democratic campaigns but there were several young people who had never been to a political gathering before and that included a group of nursing students from the local technical college very interested in talking health care. Only one of the students was white.

[AllentownJake]

20. Were you at Starbucks, an actual starbucks?

[Subdivisions]

26. Ok, tell us all about it. What is the 'Coffee Party' about and what is their

plan to accomplish their mission?

[rucky]

23. Who's to trust or not trust?

They just seem to be facilitating meetings at local coffee houses.

I don't think the tentacles of evil reach that far and wide.

[asdjrocky]

27. And I haven't decided yet.

I saw the woman doing the organizing on Cspan and she worked very hard to take a stand on absolutly nothing.

That makes me leery. It has nothing to do with evil, tentacles or far reaching conspiracies.

[Bitwit1234]

18. The problem with politics is they should start in the local level

get the damn republicans out of the cities the towns, the states and then move to national level...look what is happening in Texas. A disgrace to our educational system. And it is being allowed. Why because they were smart and concentrated on local and states elections. Now they control..And it is an easy step to elect to the national level when everything in your state is republican controlled.

I wish we had more democrats with guts and fire in their belly to go out for politics. I wish we could strip the senate of the bunch of God-awful plutocrats that are there now and get people who really have the interest of this country and it's people at heart. TERM LIMITS PEOPLE...TERM LIMITS. HOW IN THE WORLD can we find a way to pass laws for term limits. It has to come from congress as it stands now and we know they never will. They love raking in those corporate dollars.

[Touchdown]

19. It's got legs.... Like Buttah!

...hmmgh. I'm Vaklempt! Talk amongst yourselves!

[rucky]

24. check out the gams on that tomato!

[Odin2005]

28. I like it!

[applegrove]

32. I'm sure the GOP would be pleased to see some of us step out from

underneath the democrats big tent.