Talk about a bamboozlement. What a strategy. It appears that attempts to organize now, after the Hillary fact, are, well, several years too late, to put it mildly. This one bowled me over, like I’d been hit in the gut. It doesn’t mean that I’m giving up; I’m just saying.

Howard Dean, it seems, has been busy training Democratic operatives and bloggers in a highly organized manner for a while now. Where have I been? I hadn’t heard of DFA until this week. This from fellow blogger, Claudiabl*:

DFA (Democracy For America) along with Netroots Nation are organizations founded by Howard Dean for the purpose of “training” campaign workers and promoting progressive candidates

That makes sense, right? It makes sense to have launched such an operation, considering the ass-whooping Dean and company got in 2000 and 2004. At the time, there were rampant “what hit us?” conversations about how Republicans had organized at the grassroots level, situating themselves in local government and on school boards. And what with the “swift-boating,” we were patsies and pansies and weren’t going to take it anymore. (I can’t help it, even though Democracy For America was on my side and ostensibly formed for good progressively strategic reasons, my mind keeps wandering over to the Hitler youth movement as a comparable. I should be ashamed.)

Why Was DFA Founded?

DFA was founded to reform the Democratic Party:

DFA, The DNC, and Obama

Dean had run a hallmark campaign in 2004. Indeed, it was the first Presidential primary campaign to make effective use of online technology to mobilize and raise contributions from small individual donors. Dean’s training of campaign workers and bloggers would seem like a dovetail fit with Obama’s so-called grassroots community organizing background, combined with the forces of the progressive grassroots moveon.org. Moveon caught the attention of Congress and the DNC with their effective online protest and voter campaigns beginning in 2003. I was an active member, from their Berkeley inception as they grew into a national movement, until their early endorsement of Obama which I protested.

A Florida progressive blog, Florida Politics carries along the DFA message in their state, and notes that their blogging software is similar the Daily Kos, apparently a bragging right. Lately, they’ve reported on the huge Obama operation being set up there, and the takeover by his campaign of a portion of FL’s previous delegate selection. Just as with Michigan, I wonder if the Sunshine State will Remember in November or warm to the candidate who blocked fair reflection and counting all their votes.

Integrating Activists With Grassroots Media

If you fish around on the DFA website under their trainers and training agenda, you will find that we PUMAs and Just Say No Deal Coailtion Members, and likely Hillary herself, ladies and gentleman, are very late to this table.

Last summer we did a session of Night School live from the YearlyKos convention in Chicago. We featured Chris Bowers from OpenLeft.com and Katrina Baker from Living Liberally to discuss building open progressive communities.

Of course it now stands to reason how the DNC could so “quickly mobilize” to announce their move to Chicago last week, and accomplish it over the weekend.

Early Involvement In Presidential Endorsement

Question: How did all the progressive causes that we — I and other Democratic Party members, now-refugees — fought for over our entire lives get absconded by people who seem ready and able to disregard us and our efforts? Hey, over here, I’m a progressive too. How did they choose to throw Hillary away? Or did she or her old-school campaign staff not see DFA as a force?

It appears that DFA had weight in making their early assessments of the Presidential candidates in terms of progressiveness. I don’t see any mention of Hillary Clinton being engaged with them. Perhaps they were deterred by Mark Penn’s purported initial barriers to her easy access, or perhaps Dean didn’t include her? Obama even used their training manuals for his trainings!

All throughout 2007, DFA members were engaged in the Presidential race. DFA kicked off the year with messages to the candidates demanding to hear their plans for ending the Iraq War and combating global warming – and Senators Edwards and Obama, Gov. Richardson, and Rep. Kucinich responded with special videos to DFA members. Gov. Richardson sent campaign staff to a DFA Training Academy and Sen. Obama’s campaign used the Training Academy manual for their trainings. (emphasis mine) This engagement culminated in November of 2007, with the largest online poll of the election season. Over 154,000 DFA members voted in response to “Vote for Me Messages” from the candidates in the race. As a response to the overwhelming support for progressive leaders, DFA launched the Unite for a Progressive President campaign.

Big Tent No More

DFA appears to send out strident press releases, endorsing their progressive candidates and slamming others within the Democratic Party who don’t go along. Evidently, they deemed Obama and Edwards the most progressive, crediting their organization with Iowa’s win, and challenging an unnamed candidate with: what’s all this inevitability talk, huh? Bwa ha ha ha ha.

So, it’s clear that the DNC Chair, under the auspices of Democracy For America, preferentially campaigned, and built an organization, to defeat Hillary Clinton from within, and from the git go — way before Iowa and months, if not years, before the DNC RBC Committee Meeting on May 31, 2008. Pardon me. I am now officially more than naive. I thought I kept up, but maybe I was just a “holiday Democrat” after all. Until this campaign season, I always thought that the DNC was a neutral body that contained all Democrats in “the big tent.” Oops, my bad.

From DFA, originally dated January 3, 2008:

Progressives Win! Obama Wins. Edwards Second.

Democracy for America Lead the Way in Iowa

Des Moines, IA – Democracy for America, our nation’s largest progressive political action organization with over 9,000 members in Iowa, has shown their power tonight in Iowa. With the one-two finish of Senator Barack Obama/Senator John Edwards in the Iowa caucus, it is clear that progressive voters are the key constituency in this election. DFA’s Unite for a Progressive President Campaign made the difference here in Iowa. Democracy for America’s Unite for a Progressive President Campaign brought together the strengths of the Iowa caucus process and the commitment of DFA members throughout the country. The 675,000 members of DFA gathered tens of thousands signatures on a national call to action, wrote over 6,124 letters to Iowa DFA members, and plastered the Des Moines Register with an ad asking Iowa Democrats to not leave their caucus until a progressive wins their location.“If you listened to people last year, it was as if there was no need to vote. There was all this talk about inevitability, but, tonight, Democracy for America’s members here in Iowa proved that primaries matter, progressive values are what make the Democratic Party strong,” said Jim Dean, Chair of DFA. (* bold format mine, itals theirs)

In sharp contrast to 2004, issues of concern to progressive voters have been front and center in this presidential race. The activism and involvement of progressive Democrats have transformed the Party and fundamentally altered the primary landscape. From universal health care to ending the War in Iraq to global warming, every Democrat in the race has seen the need to take a strong stance. Those Democrats who have taken a stance have seen their support increase among voters.

“Tonight’s caucus results are further proof that progressive voters make up the core of the Democratic Party – they are the key constituency in this election. DFA members and progressive Democrats support candidates who fight for progressive values: bringing our troops home from Iraq, expanding universal health care for all Americans, and fighting to end global warming,” said Arshad Hasan, Executive Director of DFA.

Dean’s Mission Remains The Same

Now I’m wondering exactly when did my candidate and I get voted out of the Party? It would appear as if the strong-arm tone and tactics that characterize many people’s encounters with the Obama campaign have roots in the mission of an organization that has been at play since Dean’s piercing scream. The fratboy doc never gave up. In fact, he has been very hard at work getting back at anyone who ever laughed at him, and is still intent on going all the way to the White House. Memory lane, y’all.

—————————————————————————–

* Hat tip to Claudiabl for the lead.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J18LNP2IseE[/youtube]

Video by boowitch13

“Surrounded by Liars and Thieves” by Satellite Nation

PUMA is having a Pre-Convention PUMA Conference to prepare and train people for Denver and beyond. If you plan to go to Denver and can also make it to DC — GO!

I’ve included boowitch13’s fresh video, “Surrounded by Liars and Thieves,” for your viewing and motivational pleasure. Do I want to set the mood that the PUMA 08 Conference will be angry and vengeful like the twenty-four year old Obamamen who spew at me? No! But, we can’t forget why we are doing this, and why we are here! It’s because we were swindled out of our votes and our rights as citizens by “liars and thieves!”

It’s time for us to gather, meet each other and plan for the future. Remember: Dean and Donna ‘n them began building their organizations and planned takeover back in 2004. Actually, they began earlier, if you count from when Dean began his Presidential run.

PUMAs have written, blogged, emailed, protested, petitioned, and broadcast our message through the mainstream media, and our own shows on blogtalkradio. Now it’s time to meet in the flesh, plan, and build our energy, vision, and intention for the future.

What can you offer? What’s your skill set to contribute to the planned protest in Denver, getting Hillary on the ballot, or creating our own media messages? What can you add to the movement? Do you connect well with people and like to talk and organize at the grass roots level? Do you like to write letters? Raise money? Network people together? Are you a tech genius? Video producer? Graphic designer? How can you add your talents to the cause?

PUMA 08 PRE-CONVENTION CONFERENCE

August 8 – 10, 2008, Washington, D.C.

Wardman Park Marriott

What will be the message and purpose of our movement in Denver and beyond? At the PUMA CONFERENCE:

There will be workshops for those who are starting PUMA chapters, and other informative sessions on media training, fundraising, and boosting traffic to your blog/website during this election cycle.

At the end of the conference, each person will have a solid action plan for Denver and their potential plans through the November election for each possible scenario. They will have a clear picture of the PUMA movement itself, and how we will move forward.

Who Should Attend: Those who want to have an active say about the direction of the PUMA movement in Denver and the role of PUMA as it develops.

Who Should NOT Attend: Those who would need to choose between Denver and DC. Our conference is secondary and meant to act in a supportive role of the Convention itself.

COST: $250—Includes price of ENTIRE CONFERENCE and:

• Lodging at FIVE STAR hotel – the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. for THREE nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
• Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
• Lunch on Saturday

REGISTER NOW!!!

A Satirical Presentation of this Election

Cross-posted from Lady Boomer NYC.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5JkHBC5lDs[/youtube]
[for your reading pleasure, click to play music]

Remember what this election was supposed to be? This was the shoo-in year for the Democrats. This was the year that they couldn’t make a mistake. Why, with a disastrous war that most Americans think is wrong, that is robbing our economy and killing more innocents than bad guys, making enemies because we’re so reckless, how could they possibly lose?

But once again, my Party found a way to shoot themselves in the foot.

The DNC, which by the way is a private company with no obligation to keep its word about anything, willfully decided to pass over the most qualified candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton. After this decision, they did everything they could to sabotage her receiving the nomination. Every time she had a big win, they trotted out another new super endorsement. Now a feckless cult-of-personality, cute-smile guy, who bullied his way to the top and incessantly rails against people, has tricked others into thinking he has anything at all to do with hope.

Haven’t you ever been played before? At first, the guy tells you you’re the hottest this ‘n that, things escalate. You think he sees you, that he thinks you’re special. You think he’s your soulmate only to find out that he’s got another whole life, girlfriend, wife, etc. The reason it’s so hard to accept is that you bought it so completely. And what you bought was the part where you felt seen.

So this cute guy smiles and sidles up to you. He says you’re cool, but not those other people, they’re not cool — they wear Gucci loafers, are bad dads, tote guns, and don’t speak French or Spanish. He weasels his bad opinions into your ear with humor. He gets you to laugh at the others. It must be okay, because the minister preaches it to his members, “Look at those fools!” And they howl with laughter.

What’s new school about that? What’s unifying about that? What’s different about that person than the snobs who wouldn’t talk to you in high school? What’s different about that behavior than the hate promoted by dictators speaking in large stadiums to adulating crowds?

All through my life, I have attended services of many congregations and denominations, including white and black, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and many, many more. I’ve never gone to a place that preached hate. If I went once, I’d never return. What’s uplifting about preaching hatefulness, and isn’t that a subtle form of violence? When I go to temple or to meditate, I go because I want to be uplifted, to reach higher—not stoop lower.

I thought only my people did that, you know, kvetch and kvetch about what they don’t like. (Oh, I kid.) Isn’t it easier to complain rather than come up with a genuine plan or an original idea? And the folly of it all, is that’s how he eliminated Hillary—just kept pushing a meme: she was this or that, blah, blah, blah.

Meanwhile, Hillary kept saying what she would do. The more she did that, the more that real citizens began to listen and follow her. Why? Because understanding a problem in-depth, and providing an actual compassionate solution IS Hope! When you actually listen to people, and they feel heard, it improves their mood (and yours), and they feel hopeful. Just like you thought the player did, but the player had nothing inside, was hollow, and in the end, deserted you. In the end, the player just moved on to next, because it really was always about him, not about you anyway. So what do you think? Have you been played? From the blogosphere:

You know, I defended that f–ker.

That’s about all I can say, because anything else is going to be incoherent babbling and profanity-laced. And for everyone who told me I should have backed Clinton, you’re right.

But that’s not really the bad part. No it’s not really about you or me or Hillary. The bad part is that while Obama complains and talks about more stuff he doesn’t like, soldiers and innocents still die every day in Iraq. The bad part is that every day he procrastinates having a plan, he betrays the people who are losing homes, savings, and hopes of a stable future. The bad part is that, while this joke of a nominee and the power-grabbing Dems who supported him book a stadium and even try for the Brandenburg gate, they push to have Hillary Clinton sweep up their crumbs. The bad part is this spineless candidate and his enablers have robbed, robbed the people of this country a means by which they could have improved it, kept it from its apparent slow death.

Make you mad? Make you sad? Make you sick? That is precisely why we continue our protest. We cannot give up. We must keep moving forward, make our voices heard, and claim what is our right by vote of the people: the nomination of Hillary Clinton our President. We’ve all been working so hard, but our job is made increasingly easier by the repeated unconscious blunders of a candidate who, although he plays it real cool, really doesn’t have a clue.

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I’ve witnessed all your suffering
As the battle raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

Watch the trailer of John Wellington Ennis’ new film, Free For All here. Then click on the link below to watch the entire film for free.

FREE FOR ALL! One Dude’s Quest to Save Democracy was aptly released on July 4, 2008. If you think we’ve just experienced caucus fraud, this beautifully produced film will remind you that we’ve got more big fish to fry.

The film hearkens back to the 2000 and 2004 election nightmares. Diebold voter machines were supposed to fix any leftover 2000 hanging-chad problems. However, leading up to the election, there were many warnings and red flags that the “fix” was in the machines, in that they were easily hackable, and the company’s neutrality was questionable. A simple retrospective statement by Sen. Robert Hagen (D-Ohio) describes his Diebold voting encounter:

It was one of the first times you got to press using the electronic voting machine. When I pressed Kerry, it went over to Bush.

The film explores the 2000 and 2004 elections, including: the Ohio and Florida debacles, missing ballot boxes, veracity of exit polls, illegal purge of voter rolls, restrictions to, and misinformation about, election day voter sign-in, and much, much more. In conclusion, the filmmaker opines:

“If Democracy isn’t free for all, then it’s not free for me.”

Watch the film. What do you think? Is Democracy Free For All, or a free for all? It’s in our hands . . . or is it?