Beware Attempts at co-optation! (NOTE: ATTEMPTS is the operative word.)

Today's Blog edited: Please read the edits. Vigilance is the price of freeom, don't forget!

Thanks to my commenters.

Dotty

Doctor Dean is in, the last man standing, says the SF Chronicle this morning. The new Chair Apparent of the DNC.

Now the fight begins.

And the questions. Why did all the other candidates fall like little dominoes in a row to support the Governor? What went on behind closed doors? Am I being paranoid? Were there deals, arm twisting, vows to run to the middle? (Note, not necessarily by Governor Dean himself, but those who want to retain control.)

Yes, an army of Dean supporters and reformers made this happen. Kudos to us all! But it would be naive to think the "old" "new" Democrats are fading away or will not be putting lots of pressure on the Party to move to the right. It's happening. We need to keep our own pressure up, and keep the movement going. The grassroots are strong and need to keep energized.

Old line non-progressive Dems are calling for Dean to be a "uniter" bring the Party together, lose the liberal loonies and become a "different" Howard Dean.

But remember, the liberal base and an army of new progressives made Dean what he is. He's not a raging liberal or progressive to begin with. He's always been a centrist. It was the army of the faithful who led him to be a powerhouse at the head of the Democratic Party.

To alienate them at this time would be, in my never humble opinion, a big mistake.

The problem with the Dems in the last election is they shed their Democratic mantle, pulled up their roots and tried to be all things to all people. Kerry coulda stood for something. He almost did, but he couldn't say just what it was.

It's the progressive core who buoyed up Howard Dean in the first place, and who will buoy up the Party now.

Hold the DNC's feet to the fire, including the good doctor's. Don't let him forget who put him there in the first place.

He may never have screamed in Iowa, but the right wing of the Party is still hounding him with the scream that never was.

Maybe it's time to scream, to howl, like good Green Dog Democrats that we are, and don't let the Repubs (or the DLC) forget that we are not afraid to Bite the Right!
........

Read Alter Net's A Progressive 12-step Program
By Bob Burnett, AlterNet Posted on February 5, 2005, Printed on February 7, 2005http://www.alternet.org/story/21181

A good analogy for where we are today.

Keep the faith!

Dotty the Green Dog Dem