What I'd like this blog to be

In the wake of the destruction of the Democrats in Kansas that took place last Tuesday, I believe there is an opportunity now to take a step back and ask ourselves, What do we want the Democratic Party to stand for, and fight for, in the next few years?

Related to that is the question, What does it mean to be a progressive in Kansas. What would it take to build a progressivism that would work, as policy and as politics, in our red, prairie state?

I keep asking leading Democrats (well, any I can find) this question, and they're really not interested in dealing with it, for reasons I will explore in future posts. But the word "progressive" scares a lot of people, and I'm not sure why. To me it's clear that a Kansas brand of progressivism would look different from a Massachusetts or California brand. And anyway, giving away our brand - the very thing we have to offer - or treating it as radioactive, is self-defeating: it won't help our future electoral prospects, or help us build an infrastructure, or help us to work, or fight, for what we believe in.

To me, we have to start from the slogan I've taken for this blog: "Fighting for the right while we fight against the Right." This means that our mission and our message must be two-fold: developing effective and convincing policy solutions to the issues that face the people of Kansas, while we use every means available to us to oppose the truly devastating policies soon to be visited upon us by the extremist cabal empowered in Topeka. 

So the fundamental questions this blog will deal with are: What does it mean to be a prairie progressive? How can we develop a homegrown progressivism that can be successful in terms of both policy and politics? and how do we build a party that depends less on the star power of statewide candidates and more on a) good policy proposals - well thought-out, factually supportable and helpful to the people of the state - and b) great grassroots organizing?

I hope that this blog will be an opportunity for progressives throughout the state to help me think through these issues. I have ideas but I certainly don't have the experience or the wisdom to do more than offer my opinions. I hope you will take the opportunity to weigh in on what I have to say and offer ideas and opinions of your own.

Because, my friends, it is only together that we will be able to get through this coming period of darkness and get to the light on the other side.