Responsibility on the Left
Many progressives and other reform-minded Democrats have been yelling at, and about, the Democratic Party operation for a few years now. With Howard Dean as a point of rallying cry, we've pledged to "take back our Party" as we "take back the country" for the cause of a rational government of equal justice and opportunity. We've accused the Party of forgetting its roots and principles, throwing barbs at McAuliffe, at Washington Democrats, at the Clintons, at the DLC, whenever any of them have seemed to undercut the efforts of Dean and the reform community.

Now, it looks like a battle may be won. We wanted to take control of the Party and steer it in a new direction, and our man is in charge. It is a moment of truth for progressives/liberals and reform Democrats: stay on the sideline and continue to lob bombs at the process and denounce the corporatized national Party culture? Or turn that activism more directly into major party politics and get seriously involved in the Democratic Party. Dean meetups should be essentially replaced now with Democratic Party meetups. And the ranks of regular Party events should be infused with progressives and Dean supporters. We've told our fellow Democrats for 2 years now that Dean's approach would be good for energizing the Party. Now that they are set to name him as the Party chair, it's time to get about energizing. It won't happen on its own.

You wanted to take back the Party in the name of grassroots activism as opposed to top-down hierarchy? Now, you've got it, in a leader that agrees with you. Time to put up or shut up. Let your County Party organizers know you're with them, and ready to work.