Dave Pollak just emailed over as follows:

The 2007 Elections are only 3 weeks away, and we need your help to guarantee Democratic success in critical races across NY State! Not only are we working to elect great Democratic candidates right now, but their victories will help build towards future Democratic victories in 2008 and beyond.

As you know, the NY Dems are hosting weekend canvassing on Long Island and weeknight phonebanking in Manhattan from now until Election Day, November 6. Our Long Island Political Director, Lauren Corcoran-Doolin (laurend [at] nydems [dot] org), has additional information about canvassing/phonebanking dates, places and times, or you can contact Claire Silberman at claire.silberman [at] gmail [dot] com with any other questions or comments. There are critical volunteer needs upstate as well so please contact our Upstate Political Director Cathy Calhoun at cathyc [at] nydems [dot] org to get people plugged in outside of the NYC area.

This brings me to a related subject: we all love to bitch and moan and complain about how bad the Democrats are, and all the many ways, large and small, they disappoint. I do this regularly and, frankly, with cause. Two words: Noach Dear.

That said, the concerns of people who actually go out there, knock on the doors, write the checks, carry the petitions, make the calls, in short, do the hard work, are far more likely to be heard.

So, let's get out there and get us some more, and better, Democrats.

Unnoticed by the chattering classes, the playing field for the 2008 battle over the State Senate is taking shape. The DSCC already has field teams on the ground in Long Island, softening up various incumbents; now, Jimmy Dahroug, running for Senate in the Third District, just released some truly remarkable fundraising numbers.

Dahroug:

I'm writing today to thank you for your support, enthusiasm, and kind words in the early months of our campaign. Also, I wanted to share some great news.
With your help, we've collected over $40,000 in receipts for our first filing! We did this in less than 8 weeks! Imagine what we can do by January.

This is a truly remarkable feat, but we haven't done it alone. The outpouring of support we've received - both financial and otherwise - sends a strong message that the people of Suffolk County are ready for a change.

Here's the video, via Kos. You really have to wonder what adjective King would use to describe, say, the Young Communists League.

On the web: Dave Mejias.

New York Newsday reports that Peter King seems to be getting a credible challenger; about effing time, I say.

Nassau Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick), who sees a different tide rising. With President Bush's plummeting popularity, exploding gas prices, and public anger over the war, Denenberg says King is beatable and will announce next Sunday at Tackapausha Park, in King's hometown, that he plans to take on the 14-year incumbent.

"He thanks God every night that Bush is our president," said Denenberg, referring to a recent King letter. "But the rest of us cry."

Denenberg's impending candidacy has surprised some because he is entering a race on which two other incumbent Democrats took a pass. And that was before King got national headlines, spearheading the fight against the Dubai port deal. It not only made King appear independent of Bush, but it allied the conservative GOP lawmaker with liberal New York Sen. Charles Schumer.

"It's surprising because it comes after King not only raised his profile nationally but in the New York market, which is always tough even for an incumbent," said Amy Walter, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which handicaps Congressional contests.

Denenberg, however, said a poll taken after the publicity showed that King is just as vulnerable as he was in December - when Suffolk Legis. David Bishop (D-West Babylon) took a poll showing King in jeopardy if an opponent can tie him to Bush and his policies.

"Did it give me pause? Sure," said Denenberg, "But the poll shows that on the issues, people are just not with him." Backers also say Denenberg could benefit from a strong state ticket and from the possibility that many Republicans will stay home.

Every republican in this state is beatable; the only thing standing in the way of a complete sweep is the fecklessness of the Democrats.

I've heard Republicans crow about how Long Islanders are the "value voters" of the New York City metro area. Well, I ask my fellow Long Island moralists, what is worse : an abortion before or after birth?

[via New York Daily News - Home - Tot found flattened on L.I. road]:

Residents of a quiet Long Island neighborhood made the grisly discovery yesterday of a dead, naked newborn who had been run over by several cars.

"The baby's body was completely flat, as flat as a pancake," said Sandra Thompson, whose husband, Earl Washington, discovered the corpse on his morning walk.

Police are trying to find out how the baby came to be abandoned on Sunset Drive in Hempstead, a cul-de-sac bordering the Hempstead Golf Course.

Cops said the infant was struck by several vehicles and had been on the road for "some time." Because of the body's condition, detectives said, they could not pinpoint the body's gender or race or exactly how long it had been outside. But some residents said the baby was a boy.

If the pregnacists in this country really wanted to protect the "sanctity" of life, then they would move mountains to spread the technology available for averting unwanted pregnancies. Isn't this a good enough reason to approve the selling of Plan B without parental control and over the counter?

But they will not.

Forcing women to be pregnant is not at all about morality. Forcing women to be pregnant is all about controlling the very foundation of our society : the bodies of women.

The denial of suburbanites just fascinates me :

[via A wake-up call for parents -- Newsday.com]:

The Half Hollow Hills school district, embarrassed by a student ski trip to Vermont this month that ended with arrests for drug possession and underage drinking, is not alone in facing the potential for such problems, said Sheldon Karnilow, the district's superintendent.

"I think this has opened up everyone's eyes of what is going on throughout Long Island. It opened the eyes of all parents of what's going on on these trips," Karnilow said last night at a school board meeting at the Signal Hill Elementary School in Dix Hills.

I honestly laughed at the thought of Long Islanders having not a clue about their teenagers alcohol and drug use. I mean, c'mon on, has anybody walked around the Village on a Friday night and honestly thought all those drunk and drugged out teenagers are coming from Minnesota?