It's clear to me that we're still near the beginning of our movement, and even though we've certainly gained a degree of influence - in the media and in large chunks of the Democratic base - we've got a long way to go before the establishment is scared enough to allow real reform. Still, momentum is on our side and the future of the movement looks incredibly bright.
How do you want things to unfold?
How do you want the progressive movement to change the Democratic party?
What kind of policy changes do you want implemented?
Why?
Here's what I want us to do, in more or less chronological order:
Organize
Persuade
Inspire
Grow
Fight
Win
Establish a foothold in power
(In my ideal 2008-2010, Democrats would have a governing trifecta with 60 senators, and a president who was not Hillary Clinton. 60 Dem Senators in '08 is highly unlikely, even with Iraq, Free Trade and Immigration as political weapons, but this is my idealized future after all. I don't, even in my wildest dreams, expect that the progressive movement will have serious influence over the Democratic establishment at this point, which means we'll then have to...)
Fight
Mobilize the middle class
Purge disloyal and corrupt DLC Democrats, CBC Leadership, and Blue Dogs
Consolidate Power
(I understand and accept that Blue Dogs need serious room on cultural issues, gun rights issues and, to a much smaller extent, military issues. They have NO EXCUSE when it comes to economic populism. Any Democrat who actually claims that selling out to corporate interests represents the will of his constituents has to be purged. Every. Single. One. And as dysfunctional and unjust as our current system is, I still think it's possible. Once we've consolidated power, we'll have a hell of a lot to do...)
Tax the rich, close loopholes
Implement single payer health care
Dispel the myth of 'free trade'
Seriously diminish and contain corporate influence
End oil dependence
Dismantle the military-industrial complex
Bring the CIA under civilian control
Discredit/marginalize religious fanatics (at home & abroad)
Invest in infrastructure
Fix public education, make college affordable, encourage science
End poverty everywhere
Fix the prison system
Promote peace, pluralism and prosperity
Fight for human rights
Enshrine the right to privacy in the constitution
Prosecute and imprison criminals who broke the law trying to turn America into a military empire
That's my ideal path. Did I miss anything?