Check out the New Democratic Network

[kodi]

NDN @ http://www.newdem.org/

From the Daily Kos @ http://www.dailykos.com/

“The New Democratic Network is quickly shaping up to be one of the most influential groups within the Democratic Party. While rooted in the DLC (top guy Simon Rosenberg was a Lieberman protege and worked in the Clinton White House), the group has surprisingly vaulted past a retiscent DC party establishment to embrace the tactics and change promised by the Dean campaign. It is not so much an endorsement of Dean the Candidate, but an acknowledgement that the present party structure is untenable and must evolve if we are to meet the challenges from the Right.
“NDN is unapologetically centrist, but the organization has been driven less by ideology, than by a desire to rebuild the Democratic coalition and win elections. And by shaking off ideological blinders (something the DLC should really consider), NDN can embrace those tactics and innovations that can grow our party and lead to electoral success, regardless of where such innovations emerge.”


From the NDN site @ http://www.ndnblog.org/archives/000085.html

Consider that when JFK ran for President in 1960 close to 50% of the country identified themselves as Democrats, 30-32% Republican. Our majorities in Congress seemed permanent, and there was broad consensus around the two pillars of the 20th century Democratic Party - liberal internationalism and a post New Deal welfare state. Today, for the first time since FDR was President, more Americans identify themselves as Republicans than Democrats. It is close - 33-34% for the GOP, 32-33% for the Dems - but it represents a gradual, historic shift in American politics. The Republicans have formable majorities in Congress, more control in the states, and have broken the back of our governing consensus.

"We also suffer from an outdated infrastructure and strategic political vision. Much of the conversation and tactics of modern Democratic politics are focused on turnout. How we can mobilize our base, get them to the polls is language familiar to all of us. Our obsession with turnout as a party made sense when we where the near majority, but it no longer serves a party outnumbered by both Republicans and independents. To turnout we must add a relentless focus on persuasion - persuading those independents and Republicans to come our way.

"Today, this emphasis on persuasion is the greatest difference between the two parties. They focus on it, we don't. Their modern party was forged in a time when they were the clear minority and their relentless focus had to be on growing their numbers. Our modern party was forged when we were the near majority and we could afford to focus much of our energy on turning out our supporters. They are a party of strategy and persuasion, ours a party of tactics and status quo. They are looking ahead. We are looking behind."

[slinkerwink]

1. I think bill richardson is unofficially backing dean.

[rucky]

2. Same shit, different smell

DLC marketing teams hard at work.

[ShaneGR]

3. That group and 21st Century Dems

Both fairly centrist but willing to talk about coalition building, and not based purely on polling.

[La_Serpiente]

4. I heard that

the service unions like AFSCME and SEIU have been trying to beef it up.

[La_Serpiente]

5. :Barf:

:barf:

They endorsed Newsom.

Newsom Endorsement

However, I understand that they are just endorsing people in the party.