Defining the Progressive Coalition

Right now my primary concern as a Dem is keeping our party together amidst so many different factions.

Our ability to stay together as a party will determine whether or not we accomplish the goals laid out the Democratic Party Platform last year: Health Reform, Energy Reform, Equal Rights, Environmental Reform etc....

To that end, what I'd really like to see is some discussion of "Defining Our Coalition."

The Conservative movement grew and thrived by building what they called a "Triumvirate" composed of 3 major groups within their party: Fiscal Conservatives, Social Conservatives, and Neo Conservatives.

Binding these 3 groups together was an unspoken principle: I will trade my cause with your for the moment, if you will support mine then next time it comes down the road.

Dems have always floundered when we gain power, primarily because we have no discipline between our various groups. To make things even more complicated, we have an even bigger tent than before, with moderate conservatives coming to the Democratic Party in order to support Obama (and perhaps because they didn't want McCain/Palin).

How will we define our new coalition? How we answer this question will be critical to how we do in the mid-term and next Presidential elections.

NEW GROUP: if you are interested in this idea, and if you would like to contribute to the discussion please JOIN the new group Building the Progressive Coalition.

Thanks for everything that you do,
D. Tree