I outline my strategy below the fold.
The country is drifting to the right. We need to fight back. Tackling each issue separately is weakening our potential influence. I suggest therefore a campaign around an agenda. I have taken the liberty of constructing such an agenda, which I call the Progressive Agenda for want of a better title.
The Progressive Agenda has the following items
1. public option for health care
2. end the war in Afghanistan
3. DREAM act
4. better regulation of offshore drilling
5. filibuster reform
6. shorter terms for the US Senate
7. campaign finance reform
8. overturn Citizens United
9. make permanent unemployment benefits
10. reverse the Bush tax cuts for the high earners
11. create jobs
12. protect social security
13. close the prison at Guantanamo Bay
This may seem like a long list but the point is to create a large platform to attract the widest possible support. The next step is to gain high-profile supporters, such as Nancy Pelosi. I suggest we consider a letter-writing campaign. If this diary is endorsed by the kos community, I will do another diary covering this. I think we need at least 200 people to start with.
This is not a strategy without risk. The main risk is dividing the party. However, the party survived the battle between Clinton and Obama. With social security on the line, can the Democrats survive the coming years? Will people even believe the Democrats stand for anything?
Barack Obama will not back this agenda. He has fallen into the Republican trap. By emulating them and not fighting them, he has ceded power to them. What might, under certain circumstances, have been strengths, a liking for Lincoln the uniter and building consensus, have devalued the Democrat currency. What we need now is not Lincoln the uniter but Lincoln the fighter.
Jon Tester has made a similar calculation and, like Obama, is pressing the self-destruct button. You cannot throw the party on the fire and avoid getting burned yourself.
We need to learn the difficult lessons from both Tester and Obama. While backing them may have been necessary as a starting point, we cannot continue doing so. We need to vet our candidates differently from now on. They must establish themselves on dailykos over a period of time. If they stand for the US Senate, they must have a good record in the House. And we must take the hard decision to primary them if they step out of line.
It has been said "Republicans fall in line. Democrats fall in love" and, if it sounds like I am saying we need to be more like the Republicans, well, in this case, I am. If you want to be good at playing the piano, discipline is needed. No less in politics. Sometimes the door is jammed and you have to push to get inside.
This will also take time, maybe even years. We may need to organise gatherings, with elected politicians invited, possible sponsored by companies not previously thought of as allies Barack Obama will not be included as things currently stand. Why? Because invitations will only be given to those who have served the Progressive Agenda cause. People will need to earn the invitation. Get ready for the wild headlines about snubs to the President. We need to acknowledge them and move on.