Howard Dean's message to DFA today: "Today is not an ending. "

[madfloridian]

He will hold a conference call with DFA meet-ups tonight.

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/

SNIP..."
What You Won't Hear on TV Today
Governor Howard Dean sent this message to Democracy for America supporters today.

Montana, one of the reddest states, has a new Democratic governor.

First-time candidates for state legislatures from Hawaii to Connecticut beat incumbent Republicans.

And a record number of us voted to change course—more Americans voted against George Bush than any sitting president in history.

Today is not an ending.

Regardless of the outcome yesterday, we have begun to revive our democracy. While we did not get the result we wanted in the presidential race, we laid the groundwork for a new generation of Democratic leaders...."

[skeeterintexas]

1. .

We can hope that those that registered at the last minute for this election will vote in the 2006 Senatorial elections and again in 2008.

[fujiyama]

2. And what's disturbing to know

is more people voted FOR Bush than against him.

We're fucked. We only won 2 open seats. Only one of them was competetive.

55-45. I'm not feeling good about anything. Montana doesn't effect me at all.

I feel bad for Dean as well. He worked his ass off. He did everything he could to help KErry and dems win. He's a stand up guy.

[NYCGirl]

3. Hi, Madflor! I just posted this, too. He's a ray of hope. (eom)

NT

[madfloridian]

7. Hi, did not see yours. Features disabled still.

I usually do a search first, but so much is still disabled.

[NYCGirl]

11. No problem. It deserves to be posted a LOT!

:hi:

[JPace]

4. Dean is young and has learned much from his failure....

maybe he will run again next time.

[ibegurpard]

9. If you're pinning your hopes on Dean

then you didn't get his message. WE have to do it. We can't expect the party to come to us. WE have to rebuild it from the ground up. Get involved LOCALLY. Build the local infrastructure and relationships. THAT'S what got the Republicans where they were and the big money followed the power.

[madfloridian]

5. And more in the email......

"That process does not end today. These are not short-term investments. We will only create lasting change if that sense of obligation and responsibility becomes a permanent part of our lives.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

We will not be silent.

Thank you for everything you did for our cause in this election. But we are not stopping here...."

[0007]

13. I need three days of absolute quiet and a few days after that

to start cranking up this old body again.

[madfloridian]

22. I know, I might need longer than 3 days. Ugh.

What a downer today. Dean's letter helped a lot, though.

[LiberteToujours]

6. Dean is my hero

What a man ... I could not give an optimistic speech today .. I am so proud of him.

[madfloridian]

8. I doubt it was easy today for him either.

We have been so down here about things. I read this and realized we have work to do.

Meeting tonight, work continues.

[mandyky]

10. I've been hoping I'd see him on TV

but now, I've had enough of TV news for today. Let us know about the conference call content, okay? The nearest meetup to me is in Lexington and I have no wheels..

[0007]

15. My tilly been off, afraid that junior will come jumping through

the set.

[keopeli]

12. Voting is no way to change an Oligarchy. It takes money.

I have voted in every election since I was 18 and worked in several, but those days are behind me. Having reached stage 5, acceptance, I can easily conclude that trusting votes and elections and 'the will of the people' is folly. Money buys influence. Influence is power. Power rules. You win if you have money. You win if you have oil.

And, you don't have to win the vote to win. It's all perception.

Don't count on me for voting campaigns in the future. I might still be interested in participating, but it would be in something like civil disobedience, not the 'balm for the masses' that is voting. Elections take the steam out of the masses to prevent Revolution. But, Revolution is exactly what I believe it will take.

First rule of winning...live in reality. The reality is that voting is a panacea, not a solution. The sooner we understand this, the sooner we will all be happier people.

[Edgewater_Joe]

14. Dean MUST Be DNC Chairman

He understands what needs to be done in building up the grass roots and grooming candidates.

He'll be a fantastic, hard-nosed, funny and trustworthy spokesperson for the party.

He can raise money.

He can kill off the DLC once and for all.

He seems to want the job.

... and if the party's too stupid to give him the job, start the Dean in '08 draft movement NOW!

[hertopos]

16. I am crying right now...

For some reason, I could not cry for a long time since last night. I had a hard time breathing last night because I felt like someone was choking me.

I have just read Skinner's new blog entry and for some reason when I read his last line 'I love this place, and I have great faith in the members here to pull through this.' I started crying.

My husband told me he is planning to go to a meeting for 'Democracy for America' tonight. I did know know anything about Dean's personality before but I know now more about who he is. He is a true believer and he never give up. And above all, he is an optimist.

Right now, I am actually a resident alian married to an American citizen with a daugher. I am going to start my citizenship process once new year will start.

DU is a great place. I am now going to learn more about DFA. I feel a relief and a ray of people.

May the force be with you.

Hertopos

[mandyky]

17. {{HUGS}} Welcome to America & DU

I think you'll like DFA, the folks are great!

[madfloridian]

18. We have heard from people who are coming to ours for the first time.

I think that is amazing. We will all probably sit around and shed some tears, but we will not do it for long.

[Eloriel]

19. Something I've been dying to tell you, MadFL -- a small thing

My computer crashed Saturday and I was without until late yesterday afternoon. Anyway, I took the opportunity to tell Computer Guy to upgrade to Windows XP Professional. So, I'm poking around trying to change the wallpaper, and I notice some odd choices as I start scrolling down the list of choices:

Blues Guitar
Bryant Park

Hmmm

Scrolling down a little further I found:

Dean - baseball
Dean - guitar

Yes, this thing has SEVEN pix of Howard as possible screen savers.

Then when I went to choose a screen saver, there was one labeled "My Pictures Slideshow" -- it's all these Dean photos.

Tooooo coool. I don't know if this is in Windows XP itself or if it was my Computer Guy's file or what, but there they are. And I couldn't wait to tell you about it.

What did I choose? I couldn't stand seeing Dean EVERY time I looked at my desktop (still the heartache, I'm afraid), so I picked the Dean slide show as my screen saver. :D

[madfloridian]

20. Very moving, Eloriel. But everything is today.

But what is "Computer Guy"? I know there is a website called that, but not making the connect. Of course, today my brain is fried.

:shrug:

[Snivi Yllom]

21. GO DEAN GO!

Best thing I have read all day.