I was among the first to sign up for Howard Dean's Democracy Bond program. Since July 2005 I have given $20 per month to the DNC. That is four solid years of monthly contributions. Now that isn't by any means the only donations I have made to Democrats, but it felt good to be part of Dean's 50 state strategy that did so well in 2006 and 2008.

I cancelled that monthly contribution today because I cannot believe that the Democrats I have been supporting for so long now want to go on vacation rather than actually enact precisely what America needs to begin fixing our very broken healthcare system. In essence, I will not contribute to people who think their vacation is more valuable than our health.  read more »

According to several reports (the AP, C-SPAN, the NY Times), Barack Obama is keeping Howard Dean on as Chairman of the DNC. While many people will have problems with this move, especially as fundraising at the DNC has not been what it should be, I think it's an excellent move, for two reasons.

The first reason is that, as I wrote in February, Obama owes his success in large part to Howard Dean. The movement that lifted Obama to the nomination began five years ago with the Dean campaign. It should not end with this election, and keeping Howard Dean on is both a symbolic and a practical statement to that effect.

The second reason is that Howard Dean's 50-state strategy is working, both short-term and long-term. It not only provided a tremendous boost to the effort that led to Democratic control of both houses of Congress, but it has also engaged and energized many people nationwide who will be the next generation of political leaders in America.  read more »

We are all progressive bloggers on this site and as such that makes us savvy and intelligent followers of our political process. That is why we need not stretch our brains too thin to get them wrapped around hidden agenda the core intent of Republican Florida Gov. Crist interference into the Democratic Presidential Nominating process. What is disturbing is the lack of savvy and intelligent understanding of Democratic Michigan Governor Granholm's participation in Crist's scheme. On the surface their jointly declared call for a do-over primary sounds only fair. The shoe drops however when Crist clarifies that his state will not pay for the new primary!
politics64 :: A cost effective do-over fix for Michigan and Florida: But they must act fast!

It begs the question of, Well Governor, if not you than who should pay? The Democrats of course! But is that not very costly? About eighteen million for Florida and twelve million for Michigan!  read more »