As I write this, I am at the gate at National Airport here in Arlington Virginia, on my way for the 3rd consecutive bloggers conference, this year known as Netroots Nation 2008. And I can think of nothing more important for me to do with the rest of my week.
Why is it so important? Because we need to come together for the sake of the future of this nation. If we have any doubt, the events of recent days should make that absolutely clear. Yesterday we saw the results yet again of packing the courts, when a divided en banc 4th Circuit upheld the right of Bush to detain indefinitely civilians taken custody in the United States. Really? How would Madison and the other Founders have reacted to such an assertion of uncontrolled executive power? We have seen EPA trying to avoid following Federal Court mandates, HHS trying to redefine birth control as abortion, and a president knowing he would be overridden vetoing the Medicare fix on the grounds it was unfair to insurance companies!!
Below the fold I will remind myself - and you if you are still reading - why our getting together is so important. And why, even if you cannot be with us physically, you should be supporting what we are doing
We are coming together:
to network, so that no one feels alone or isolated in our struggle to take back our country
to learn from Don Siegelman what abusing the Justice system can mean to all of us
to learn how people are being killed for the sake of the bottom line of insurance companies
to learn more completely how our government has been distorted against the intent of the founders
to hear from people taking on the burden of running for office to take back our country
to learn from people how to do our campaigning more effectively
to inform the Speaker of the House about what we believe to be the real concerns of the nation
to hear from Rep. Donna Edwards, who demonstrated that we can take on entrenched Democratic officer holder who do not support a progressive agenda and beat him in a primary
to ensure the press and those watching on CSpan that we are not just a batch of fringe people who write on line in our pajamas
to meet authors who are taking on the entrenched interests in this nation
to honor those who have died in service of this nation - our Sunday worship service will especially honor as has the tradition of IGTNT diaries
for some of us to learn how to present our case to the media, learning how to be effective spokespersons for the causes and candidates we support
to celebrate what we have accomplished already, helping the Democrats take control of the Congress
to enjoy ourselves, and the company of others, good people all
to plan for more, including expanding Congressional margins and electing a Democrat for four years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
to put faces and voices to the screen names we have come to know so well
The list above is quite incomplete: I cannot hope to list all the things available to us through this conference, but it is uncontrollably rich. At any given moment when there are panel sessions, there are likely to be at least two and probably more that would interest you - you will really want to clone yourself.
And from the past two years I know I will never even see more than half the people with whom I really want to talk, even arriving as I will before Noon Austin time.
This is not an important diary. It is not full of BREAKING news, nor is it full of deep analysis. There are no block quotes from noted authors, nor do I provide any links to important stories, or interesting sites.
It is in the main a reminder to myself - that taking the 5 days that I am is perhaps as important as anything I will do.
Hell, I am even being taken to the airport on Sunday by a high school classmate who has been a noted Texas Republican consultant but who has become disgusted with what has happened to his party, in Texas and nationally. He is even friends with the people from Burnt Orange Report. We are making a difference, and no matter how frustrated we may be at times when yet another story breaks on the abuses of our government, or the the unwillingness of some Democrats to stand up for what is right, in coming together we will remember that we already have
helped take back the Congress
moved the party on important issues
built a movement that for all our disputes among ourselves, is a powerful force on behalf of the future of our country
individually increased our knowledge, developed political, organizing and communication skills we might have realized we could demonstrate
and formed a hell of a lot of great friendships and more
I'm on the way to Netroots Nation. That IS something important
peace