Inspired by the overwhelming Democratic win on November 7, I have decided to launch my own local progressive blog
Space Coast Rising. While Florida made some great gains, it lagged behind the rest of the nation (for a purple state, at least). Florida will be pivotal in the 2008 elections. I hope Florida Kossacks will join me in providing new progressive media to a state sorely in need of it.
Below I have reproduced Space Coast Rising's first entry. Comments and critiques are welcome. I will probably cross-post more diaries over the next few weeks to promote the new blog.
SPACE COAST RISING LAUNCHES!
The progressive victory on November 7 was absolutely astounding. Democrats took back the House, the Senate, and a majority of governorships and state legislatures. However, while Florida made great gains, it fell short of the blue wave that swept through the rest of the nation. A nominally purple state, somehow we have some of the most conservative policies of all 50 states.
I have decided to launch this blog to strengthen the netroots progressive coalition in Florida, with an emphasis of the Space Coast. I find it ironic that the Space Coast is a leader in science and space exploration, while represented by some of the most anti-science Republican Congressmen. Representatives David Weldon and Tom Feeney may tout their ability to bring pork to their districts, but NASA's human space exploration program has not made great gains since the Republicans took control of Congress in 1994. Our Republican Congressmen act in the space program's favor only when it gives them a political advantage. Recently, both have bemoaned the overwhelming Democratic Congressional victory as bad for the Space Coast because they are no longer in the Majority (and thus have diminished influence on the appropriations committee).
Well, I certainly can think of a solution to that problem in 2008.
The goals of Space Coast Rising are as follows:
·To cover the political developments on the Space Coast and in Florida with a fresh, progressive perspective
·To become an active agent for change by building the progressive community and providing alternative media
·To support the new Democratic Congress
·To call for common-sense election reform in the state of Florida
·To make Florida blue in 2008 and beyond
Specifically we will:
·Support Democratic candidates running in the 24th (map) and 15th (map) Congressional districts of Florida
·Support statewide Democratic candidates for Florida and Federal office
·Support Democratic candidates for the state legislature on the Space Coast
·Support progressive ballot questions and oppose reactionary ones
I hope you will join me in this grassroots/netroots effort to make the Space Coast and Florida a better place to live for us all.
Coming soon: A point-by-point analysis of the 2006 election in Florida.