It seems our nation is always teetering on the edge of a right wing abyss, and will probably stay that way until we get serious about competing with conservatives. The progressive movement needs to branch out and intensify, increasing the frequency and geographic range of our outreach.
Think about your local fundamentalist Christian mega-church. Glad Tidings, New Life, Full Gospel, whatever the name -- they are active, organized, and dedicated. They have several meetings each week: regular Sunday worship service, early Sunday service, Wednesday night church with youth groups and music, picnics, retreats, Bible study groups at people's homes, special prayer and luncheon groups. When some event happens in the public sphere, these people are already organized and ready to respond with protests, rallies, days at the capitol, etc.
Then there are the youth activities and charities: summer camps galore, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, prison ministries, addiction recovery services, food pantries. All these are great things, and secular liberal groups need to be doing all of them. Everywhere.
Imagine this: any town you visit in America has a weekly meeting of secular progressives, where you can sing a few songs, play some games, talk about books, or work on projects for the betterment of our society.
This has been my first Daily Kos diary. I will be back soon with more details on the above-mentioned ideas.