Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Let's clear up the noise and re-set the decibel levels:  the 2006 and 2008 election cycles will be a referendum on THIS ADMINISTRATION and ITS FAILED POLICIES-- not on the Democrats' record of attempting to impose a democratic process on an imperial Presidency, nor, as Karl Rove wants to frame it, a "choice election".  

Jim VandeHei states the obvious today:

Three years of upbeat White House assessments about Iraq that turned out to be premature, incomplete or plain wrong are complicating President Bush's efforts to restore public faith in the military operation and his presidency, according to pollsters and Republican lawmakers and strategists.

For any liberals and progressives who may be suffering from the continuing drumbeat of Republican corruption, scandal, and unmitigated gall in pursuing private interests at the expense of the nation's security, stability, and well-being, pause here for a welcome respite:  

Democracy IS on the march in this country, and the battle lines are forming.  Choose your weapons, your memes, your organizations, or your issues, but prepare for a spirited battle to take the country back.

A quick browse around the web offers a plethora of resources evidencing activities across the nation and throughout the netroots.  Here's the distinguishing feature:  

Democrats have diversity of ideas.  Republicans have diversity of ignorance.

Follow along for a sampling of inspirational listings.

Let's start with the latest from the Rockridge Institute, a couple of snippets from the new posting on values:

Values and their connection to worldview

One of the most salient differences between the conservative and progressive interpretation of values is that conservatives typically understand values with respect to the individual, while progressives typically see them as fundamentally social.

snip>The progressive worldview is organized around ideas like deep democracy (maximizing the engagement of all citizens in self-government), the commons (some resources are held collectively), diversity (difference as complementary), and progress (a counterpoint to tradition). These concepts combine to create an understanding of government as a true expression of the will of the people, one that reinforces community and helps to redress inequality. While progressives recognize merit, they also know that no great achievements occur in true isolation. The overarching progressive prescription for the state is ensuring the commonwealth for the common good: hence, public education, social security, and transportation infrastructure.

Go read the whole thing, but welcome the announcement that the Progressive Manual is on its way and will be out this summer.  In the meantime, Mapping out the Progressive Worldview can be found here.

If Rockridge isn't your thing, there are many other options:

Here's another view of a Strategic Agenda.

Or perhaps, you'd prefer
Progressive Democrats of America.

Or, there's always, Democrats.org, which has a quite nice page on Republicans, aptly titled The Corruption Files.

If you're a college student, you'll no doubt need to check out
Campus Progress, which offers everything from a Speaker's Bureau to a community blog.

Obviously, there are MANY other organizations and individuals on the national, state, and local levels that are working hard each day to reconstruct this country's health, wealth, and happiness.

Join whichever effort appeals most to your sensibilities, needs, or wallet. And list your favorite additions below, with links, so your fellow progressives can join you.