Maybe we "Progressive Dems" have an Ego Problem. We think we are

[KoKo]

Important...but in fact we aren't.

I say this because one of our leading Progressives in my state, has said...we "aren't increasing in numbers" and "we need to look at why, and it might be because we aren't in the "mainstream." Our Progressive Leader has looked around and seen the same faces who are all shades of "Nader, Dean, Kucinich"(all of which worked to get Kerry elected in the "ABB Movement"), and has said to himself..."We haven't grown...our Meet Ups and Houseparties are dwindling. At best we only have the same pool of people showing up and active and e-mailing."

Now we have our State "Progressive Democrats" meeting. And, I worry that so few out there will come. If we "activists" can't increase our numbers and the only alternative is to go with the "Biden/Lieberman/Dodd/Hillary Wing of the Party," then why bother. Why not just sit back and wait?

If we "Progressives don't come up with a REAL Platform to confront our Dem Party with will we be able to stay viable? I think it all hinges on that. I'm going to my local "Progressive Convention" here in my state ready to push for REFORM...but what are we up against? :shrug:

[Dr Fate]

1. Dont sell yourself short- progressives are the volunteers.

Ever heard of a "centrists" or "swing voter" spending several hours a week campaigning for DEMs?

This is what we need to make the big-wigs understand, if they keep ignoring us, they are going to have a hard time finding bodies to knock on doors and operating phone banks.

[KoKo]

7. That's always been my hope and it's "logical." But some are just waiting

for Bush Crime Family to Implode on it's own. They think that we can take advantage of that in '06. And unlike '04 that folks both Left and Right will be eager to greet us when we do our canvassing, knocking on doors.

Our instructions in '04 were ONLY to ask for the Registered Democrat in the House BY NAME...in doing our Canvassing for Kerry. We were told not to try to "engage" the other person in the house who wasn't resgistered as a Democrat. It was said that by only giving Dem Registered Voters our literature we would be "Targeting." We were told not to bother Repugs. :eyes: At the time I sort of flinched but given that I'm in a "Red State" I wasn't looking to encounter "Billy Bob with a Gun" who was gonna yell and throw me off his front stoop. But, now that I look back I wonder why we had to "pussy foot around." If we Democrats STAND FOR SOMETHING ...then BY GOSH let's SHOUT IT OUT! :shrug:

But, it seems PDA is still cautioning. Geeze...how much longer can I do this.

[wli]

2. politicalcompass.org -style polling?

See where people stand/etc.?

[Son of California]

3. Progressives need to go after issues

that speak to regular Americans
not little pet peeves

I've posted this before:

There are the issues you really care about, and then there are the issues that you talk about to win elections.

Progressives should keep this in mind. That people don't get involved until there is an issue that really grabs them by the heart. I just have not seen progressive movements attacking issues like that.

Why aren't we talking more about stem cells?

about ending the war?

these are the issues that will get people involved...

keep voting rights in your back pocket, wait for the right moment -then attack. Sometimes getting what you want means being patient, and picking the moment///

[acmejack]

4. We certainly are growing out here!

Gaining strength every day, perhaps we feel more aggrieved. I think PDA is growing as well, we know they have a good communications director working on it!

We just need to keep beating the anti-corporate drums, especially when the pain from the credit card companies raising their minimum payments sets in. As entitlements and benefits shrink, people will be increasingly in touch with their progressive sides.

[The Straight Story]

5. Evangelize it

Door to door (on bikes??) preaching the good news of deliverance from evil (gop).

Hand out tracts, leave them in bathrooms, have meet up halls in each town where people can go once a week to have a beer and discuss politics. Make people feel welcome, give them a social place (like a moose lodge) to hang out. Where they come for fun and politics.

People like to belong to things (some). Give them somewhere to go, some food, beer, and a regular schedule which covers a day or two a week for flexibilty and they will join up (if you sell it well).

Instead of preachers, have politicians who come in and give them updates on issues from road planning to zoning to health care, et al. Have activities for the kids, couples, etc (like my sister's church which has retreats for the women, for couples, field trips for the kids, and more).

Okay, so maybe I am nuts. But I could see it as a place similar to DU but where we meet up regulary, have beer, purpose, and work on door to door strategies and other ways to get people involved.

We have a product, we need to sell it (and of course define it...).

[Cocoa]

6. the dems are moving toward the progressive side

especially on trade. Compare the Nafta vote vs. the Cafta vote.

[KoKo]

8. I hope so...right now we just seem to fight all the time...

Maybe that's good, though. :shrug:

[Mountainman]

9. I consider myself progressive I don't care if I am not main stream.

I never seem to go along with the crowd anyway. If I strive to be main steam and main stream was not progressive then I would be turning my back on what I believe in just for a victory.

My feelings are that being progressive will become mainstream when enough people see what a mess conservatism is making out of this country.

And as far as not being all solidly in one camp, consider the repukes. Those in repuke leadership use issues like abortion and gay marriage, terrorism and tax cuts to get votes out of people who would not ordinarily vote for them if those issues were not out there. The repuke leaders don't give a shit about anyone but their own wellbeing and sooner or later people will begin to see that their best interests are served when progressives are in power because we really do care about others not just ourselves. Issues like health care and social security will trump gay marriage and abortion in the near future.

So don't worry about our numbers, just you wait Henry Higgins, just you wait.

[Armstead]

10. Don;t worry about labels

The stereotyped "progressives" are a minority.

But once you get to the nitty gritty, there are a lot of people who are more liberal/progressive on important issues than we give them credit for.

People are pissed about losing their jobs to outsourcing and globalization....And just try taking away Social Security, Medicare, eliminating the Minimum Wage and see what happens.

That's why the Repugs are so dishonest and low key about their real agenda. They know that they can't do an honest frontal assault on the legacy of the liberal era because it has too much ingrained support.

The real problem is that the Democratic Establishment has drifted away from the core liberal and progressive principles in favor of watered down conservatism.

Think outside the stereotypes, scratch the surface of "moderates" and IMO you'll find a lot stronger liberal and progressive undercurrent than we realize. It's just a mattr of figuring out how to bring it back to the surface.