Step Up to the Plate for Howard Dean and the NEW Democratic Party

Howard stumping in Ypsilanti, MI 2003!

Howard Dean took over as chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) with the promise to help democrats win. He gave up his own polical ambitions, vowing to wage a 50-state campaign. He vigorously undertook that strategy, and the breadth of the victory earlier this month is a testament to his plan. Republicans faltered (with the help of Foley and others) and the American people came to realize the folly of Bush's war in Iraq. But if that 50-state strategy had not been in place, Democrats would not have been in a position to take advantage of those weaknesses.

Furthermore, the 50-state strategy is part of a longer-term strategy to make sure Democrats can be competitive for years to come. This election cycle is just an added bonus.

And now the same party old-timers that derailed Dean's presidential bid are trying to deny him credit. James Carville has gone so far as to claim Dean should be fired!

I was getting ready to write Howard Dean a Thank You note for this election when all of the critics started popping up. So I've decided to go one better than a thank you note. I'm going to give Howard a vote of confidence the way so many of us did during his Presidential campaign. I'm going to take a swing at the proverbial bat.

As I write this, the next House of Representatives will be divided 232-198 (there are still five undecided or contested seats). That is a democratic margin of 34.

In honor of that magic number of 34, I am donating $34 to the DNC. You can too!If you want to give the vote of confidence, but don't have $34, give whatever makes sense to you.

Unfortunately there is not a spot on this donation form for "Comments". But if thousands of grassroots folks each give $34 I guarantee you that Howard will feel gratitude, and Carville and the naysayers will get the message that we're tired of politics as usual. We just won big, and the same old Washington "Insiders" that supported Bush's war cannot jump in now and claim that this was their victory. This was my victory, your victory, America's victory, and this was Howard Dean's victory.