I hope that the DNC will set up offices in IN. They need help badly. My friend, colleen, an ole timer on the blog, is trying real hard to allow the minority Democrats there, to have a say in governing. She is looking and hoping for some help there.

Pam --

I just asked our Training Director, Parag, and he said that the Indiana organizers are slated to be in town Novemeber 16-18, though that's not final - just a tentative date. They're apparently still working out the final details with the state party on the scheduling...

Honestly, I am not apathetic. It's just that this is a blue town and I'm in a blue state. So, I don't really see a point in trying to convince others to vote for the majority we already possess. TOO many other states need this kind of grass-roots action, though.

We have local elections forthcoming. Funniest damned thing (to me). One of the repugs running for the BOE is a former friend of my son. He's 18 years old AND a high school dropout!! His mom has been on the school board for YEARS. She's not running. Seems he is only going to win if it's a name recognition thing (yard signs have last name in bold print while you can barely read his first name). I recently learned that the pugs couldn't get anyone to run on the ticket for that position!

And what business does a mom have serving on the BOE when she can't keep her own kid in school? It's too laughable!!

Thank you Pam!!!!!

Gov. Dean - Indiana...it's a state to the west of Ohio and to the east of Illinois, just south of Michigan. We're still here and now is the time. Even the Republicans here are mad at Mitch "The Bitch" Daniels but where are our Democratic leaders????? Where is the DNC????? I'm running an inch away from giving up completely, and the Democrats I've convinced to get involved are heading back to their couch because it seems we've been forgotten once again. I can understand, I would like to forget I live in Indiana too, but it's not fair to just assume we're a lost cause here. I'm begging and I'll keep hanging on if I know we haven't been shoved back into the closet.

Thanks for that info, Josh.

RoseZ, I understand completely what you are saying (seeing as I live in the same Blue State), but the democrats in this state are becoming too complacent, too sure of themselves, and last year's election the Republicans picked up a larger majority than usual. I know from working with my town's Democratic candidate for Mayor, the big problem is, getting Democratic voters out! They feel they don't need to make the effort, the Democrats are going to win anyways. We have to keep stirring the pot, and keeping Democrats aware and eager to vote.

I live in the S.E. corner of New Mexico, yes NM we are a part of the United States. We are in desperate need of Democratic support or Democratic anything (HI! Gov. Dean). I am originally from Pennsylvania and this place is nothing like it. If hosting an event like the one taking place on 11/15 will get the closet-democrats in our community out in the open, well gosh, I am going to try to get-r-done... I urge anyone else from everwhere else(specially in NM)to do it too!!!

Kickoff Hosts should reach out to their local party org. and/or local progressive Dem groups for lists of folks to invite. Working together we can get better turnout than working alone.

The Democrats Blow It On Iraq... Again!
Posted October 26, 2005 at 8:20 p.m. EDT

With Plamegate dominating the day, the table is set for the Democratic Party to seize the moment. The scandal has reignited a national debate about the White House lies and deceptions that led us to war in Iraq, public support for the president's handling of the war has hit an all-time low, and the 2,000th soldier killed in action has put the human cost of the war back on page one.

So how have the Democrats reacted?

You be the grand jury (Warning: have some Zoloft or other suitable anti-depressant handy):

Exhibit A is the story NPR ran on Tuesday in which Senate Dems were asked if they regretted their votes to authorize the war in Iraq. Ben Nelson was among those who defended his vote, saying, "You just don't look back." Really? Why not? Afraid you might actually learn something from your mistakes, Senator?

Hillary Clinton refused to even address the question, telling reporter David Welna, "I really can't talk about this on the fly, it's too important." As with everything Hillary says and does these days, you could hear her and her consultants doing the math: Expressing regret = too soft for the Oval Office. Continuing to express support of the administration's Iraq policy = risking being overtaken by the post-Plamegate reassessment of the war. (So would offering a glowing assessment of progress in Iraq, as Clinton did during her visit there in February when she explained that suicide bombers are "an indication" of the "failure" of the insurgency, and that much of Iraq was "functioning quite well").

Clinton and Nelson should get a copy of the NPR segment and listen to the responses of Sens. Dodd, Feinstein, Rockefeller, and Harkin who all said they would not have voted the way they did. They should also listen to the speech John Kerry gave today in which he said that "knowing what we know now" he would not have voted to give the administration the authority to go to war.

Exhibit B was Chuck Schumer's disheartening appearance on Meet the Press last Sunday. When Tim Russert asked him if he regretted having voted for the war, Schumer replied: "No, Tim, because my vote was seen -- and I still see it -- as a need to say we must fight a strong and active war on terror" (a ludicrous response he echoed on NPR). The senior senator from New York really ought to have gotten the memo by now that the Iraq-al Qaeda connection was just a Bush fantasy. Until we invaded Iraq, that is. And far from leading to "a strong and active war on terror," his vote has helped turned Iraq into a breeding ground for terrorists while making us far less safe here at home.

Exhibit C was the report I got from the intimate Democratic strategy session held at Ron Burkle's house in Los Angeles to discuss the Dems' need for a united message. Those present included Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid's chief of staff, Susan McCue, pollster Doug Shoen, Haim Saban, Rob Reiner, Steve Bing, and Warren Beatty. Among the highlights was the Hollywood unveiling of the Dems' new slogan -- "America Can Do Better" -- a soulless and vacuous phrase that sums up a party that's become pathologically risk-averse. The discussion also included the latest report from Democracy Corps, run by James Carville and Stan Greenberg, which is calling for an agenda focused on "heath care, education and energy, followed by a top end tax cut repeal and homeland security." In other words, let's party like it's 2004!

Have Democratic leaders completely forgotten that we are at war? A war that's going very badly? A war Plamegate has brought to the forefront of national consciousness? A war the majority of Americans now feel was a mistake?

Cindy Sheehan hasn't.

She's making it clear that "any candidate who supports the war should not receive our support." Including Hillary Clinton, about whom she blogged: "I would love to support Hillary for president if she would come out against the travesty in Iraq. But I don't think she can speak out against the occupation because she supports it."

Sheehan and Clinton met last month to discuss the war. "She said she has to make sure our sons didn't die in vain," Sheehan said this week. "That is a totally Republican talking point."

Indeed it is. During his speech at Bolling Air Force Base on Tuesday, President Bush said, "The best way to honor the sacrifice of our fallen troops is to complete the mission."

So George Bush and the Democrats' leading contender for 2008 are reading from the same script. Tells you all you need to know about why the Democrats continue to flounder.

Maybe the Dems' message team is on to something after all. When it comes to having an opposition party willing to actually be in opposition, "America Can Do Better."

The People know the war was wrong, why can't the democrats admit to the mistake they made, and get togather on this.

I went to the Democratic party "Action" page and it looks like all the action that has been outlined for people to take is write a letter to the editor or contribute money. There are also a couple of articles on there that are five months out of date.

Surely there is more we can do. What is the Plan!!!! Let's take a phrase from a song by "The Who - Let's see Action"

Let's see action, let's see people,
Let's see freedom up the air,
Let's see action, let's see people,
Let's be free, let's see who cares.

We have a great opportunity now in the wake of all the Bush Blunders to educate people and win their votes in the next election. We have to get the message out that we are NOT stuck with George Bush for 3 more years. If he does not have the majority in Congress, then he can be shut down. We need to kill the rumors that the Democrat party has rolled over and is playing dead.

REVAMP the action page... let's see some Action .. when people come to the page saying.. what can I do? How can I make a difference, let's give them some action points. WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Let's see action, let's see people,
Let's see freedom up the air,
Let's see action, let's see people,
Let's be free, let's see who cares.

Just a quick note that the party should remember those of us living overseas whom would like to get involved as well! It's always a bit discouraging for us when everything is tied to zip codes . . . No zip codes here in Ireland, but something like 50,000 Americans.

What would happen if all the Democrats in Ireland registered to vote in Florida? Or is that too much like something the Republicans would do . . .

How is it possible for Governor Dean to make a conference call to these parties if they are being held starting anywhere from 6-8 pm local time. In case you folks on the east coast didn't notice, the east and west coasts are more than two hours apart. If Dr. Dean will be making more than one call, you could say so and clarify things. If he will only be making one, you could indicate roughly when.

I think that if you want people to organize parties right away, you should be proactive and send everyone an e-mail that clarifies this. Otherwise, who in the west would sign up to host a party that misses the call?

Thanks,
Bruce

A Strick Constructionest is one that believes the Constution shouldn't be ammended. Slavery,women couldn't own property,couldn't vote,couldn't divorce no matter what,couldn't hold office,shouldn't get equal pay,couldn't get an abortion to even save her life, does this seem uncivilized to you? I say just because they say women should have equal rights don't make it so. Do men have to notify their mother before getting a sterile proceedure? Do husbands have to notify wife's?

I am looking forward to November 15th and meeting the new organizers and fellow democratic in my community.

The problems with the 50 State Strategy

It assumes that the leadership of the party in every state party competent and that they simply don't have enough money and trained staff. Rather than the reason we are losing in some of the states is that the leadership in the State party is incomptent.

Then assuming the first part is true the state parties will hire qualifed paid organizers "experienced local activists who know their communities" rather than simply giving jobs to their croynies who are just as responible for the state of their local party current situation,have no real idea about their own community but are good at kissing up to the state leadership.

There is an assumption that good ideas will come out rather than simply a group think of bad ideas that result in the same failures as before.

That they will put capable people in local leadership rather than just kicking the jobs back to the same incompetent leaders that have driven this party into the ground in alot of states.

From what I've seen in my own state nothing has gotten better. It's the same result different plan.

Posted by oneforall on November 1, 2005 at 01:10 PM

Well, it seems to me that a true strict constructionist would not only have to take formal ammendments into account, he would also recognize that the terms of treaties that are approved by the Senate are equivalent to Constitutional provisions, and he would recognize that the government has no business making medical decisions.
But, in this day and age, a "strict" constructionist is simply a pander to "strict" parents who want their off-spring to do what they are told "or else." Mostly, this is an attitude that caters to males who have no investment, that they can SEE, in their progeny, unless they are able to exploit and extract their obedience. Human males are not naturally good parents and they have even less appreciation for other people's children, who are even more likely to resist being subservient.

But, to get back to the topic of this thread, I'd like to suggest that the November 15 events be referred to as DOCK PARTIES, with DOCK standing for Democratic Organizing Campaign Kickoff.

As it reads now, were doing NOC parties. While it's possible that there's bound to be some "knocking" of Republicans, that probably shouldn't be our focus.

I know that HD is leaving towards the moniker Governor, but the in-crowd would probably prefer "doc"

When are we going to get assistance for hosting kickoff parties? How is group supposed to hear Gov. Dean's conference call?