Alright NYC! Can we show Madison, Wisconsin some love?

It has been a long time since the progressive movement has been as together as it is right now, and we have the unions of Wisconsin to thank for it. Now is the time for real solidarity and it is up to us to step up to the plate and support the unions, protesters and Democrats of Wisconsin.

Here is a round up of some great ways to help jump start the progressive movement in America and show the Teabaggers (and before a Teabagger whines about my use of that word, THEY came up with it!) that America does NOT suppport their extremist agenda.

First, let's get to real basics. What could better encourage the masses to stand up to the Teabagger Republican extremists than pizza! They gotta eat, so why not send them a pizza. This comes from a Tennessee blog. From KnoxViews:

Solidarity!
Looking for a way to show solidarity with the Wisconsin protesters? Send a Solidarity Pizza.

Contact info: http://www.ianspizza.com/  read more »

When Howard Dean took the reins at the Democratic National Committee, he did so with a mandate to return the party to its members and to launch a Fifty State Strategy that competes for votes everywhere, in every state, every district, every precinct, every block. Ever since Dean's accession, the DNC has put enormous resources to work on this simple idea.

Today, this strategy makes its full debut in New York, with the release of what is probably the most advanced and most open voter contact tool ever built. The principle is simple: the DNC and NYSDC have put their voter file online, enabling every Democrat to print out walk lists in their immediate neighborhood and take charge of voter outreach themselves. It really doesn't get more grassroots, more people-powered than that.

What's really revolutionary is this: the feedback process built into this tool crowdsources the maintenance of this file to you, the voter. You now own the Democratic Party's voter outreach, not Washington (or, these days, Chicago), not Albany, not the party committees themselves. It's your party now.

In charge of the effort here in New York is one Dave Pollak, who is in my considered opinion probably the best person to have in this kind of a key position.

And where it gets really exciting is when you consider that this tool, built to get out the vote for Barack Obama, will be modified to enable you to also knock on doors for candidates further down the ballot. Given that we have four competitive House races and at least eight for the state Senate, you're looking at a way to channel the excitement for Senator Obama further down the ballot.

The size of our victory in November now rests on your shoulders, dear Democrat. Get out there.

Okay, we so totally rock. I mean we as New Yorkers. Consider this: of the top ten candidates by funds raised on ActBlue last week, five were New Yorkers, including some really surprising names.

1. Darcy Burner WA-08 $47,589.77
2. Kay Hagan NC-Sen $27,568.33
3. Rick Noriega TX-Sen $22,627.38
4. Donald Barber NY-SD-51 $11,440.00
5. Barack Obama President $11,179.93
6. Paul Newell NY-HD-64 $10,425.00
7. Michael McMahon NY-13 $9,211.33
8. Gary Peters MI-09 $8,587.75
9. David Nachbar NY-SD-55 $7,751.00
10.Tracey Brooks NY-21 $6,085.00

That's right, Don Barber outraised Barack Obama (!) on ActBlue. Betcha nobody saw that coming.

On Daily Kos the other day, interested parties could learn, if they were so inclined, about a primary challenge to Congressman Jerry Nadler in the Eighth District. Had you been interested, you could have learned the same from this post on Democrats.com, Bob Fertik's hub of activism on impeachment and other issues of interest. The challenger in question is one Adam Sullivan, and his issue is impeachment of the criminal cabal that currently stains the White House. Judging by Sullivan's own commentary, he's a backer of Dennis Kucinich, the so-called Progressive who just so happens to have one of the worst anti-choice records in the House and, incidentally, claimed to Shirley MacLaine that he'd seen a UFO; or smelled it, as it wafted near his window carrying an odor of roses.

So far so good.

But here's why I would consider this challenge a complete waste of time for Progressives. Now, I personally think impeachment is a necessity for our constitutional heritage, and to safeguard unborn generations. That said, it is not, contrary to what Sullivan claims,

Mr. Nadler, a powerful, popular and by all accounts progressive Democrat from New York’s Eighth is by no means a bad man. But when I met with him personally, I was disappointed because it seemed that he had become lost in a maze of his own arguments, excuses and rationalizations. I was also disappointed that the meeting was mostly him talking; I’d thought he was going to listen to a group of the people he serves.

...free of contention within the Progressive Movement that impeachment is a desirable goal.  read more »

Today is the culmination of MoveOn.org's national bake sale, a grassroots effort to help put Barack Obama into the White House. The idea is very simple and beautifully non-cynical: a bunch of people organize over the internet, bake cakes, cookies, and other goodies, sell them to a sympathetic public, and then donate the funds to MoveOn's PAC. We Americans have held bake sales at least since the Civil War, and it's right and fitting and proper that this tradition has now become a nation-wide, technology-driven effort.

Here in Williamsburg, there were several such events, and I decided to check out one of them.

 read more »