Dean: DFA Commits Funds to Building Progressive Infrastructure
by Linda Thieman
Big news out of Democracy for America this week
During
these last six months, those of us with an eye on Howard Dean have been
present for a remarkable transformation. We watched the birth of
Democracy for America on March 18. We watched as what has come to
be known as DFA 2.0 learned how to walk. We watched as the
related state groups, such as our own Democracy for Iowa, were given
free rein to find a system that would work for us. And, after
four months of struggle and only rudimentary connection between
Democracy for America and Democracy for Iowa, we watched as DFA 2.0
passed the “survival goal” and became a real force, offering up some
real assistance to those of us on the ground.
Once
that “survival goal” was passed, DFA 2.0 suddenly blossomed. New
staffers were brought on and contact between DFA and the state groups
increased dramatically. In Iowa, Democracy for Iowa is DFA’s eyes
and ears, trained on the political scene. DFIA has vetted and
endorsed a slate of exceptional candidates (see right sidebar), and DFA
2.0 uses our slate of candidates to determine which candidates they
will help in Iowa.
Last
week, DFA announced that they would be opening up Gov. Dean’s email
lists to help our candidates. Whereas Gov. Dean promised he would
never give away or sell these hefty lists, he is having his staff send
emails from DFA on behalf of our candidates and their events and
targeting specific local areas.
Second,
DFA has opened up their blog to the state groups. Last week, over
the course of 8 days, Democracy for Iowa was featured on the Dean blog
three times, with one statewide email sent out on our behalf.
This was a feature the state groups had long been fighting for, and
indeed, it did help us reach some of our people who did not realize we
were still here. We made some good new contacts, and got a boost
in traffic at Blog for Iowa.
This
week, Gov. Dean has announced that he will be taking the slate of
candidates endorsed by the state groups and distributing a quarter of a
million dollars to help fund their races. This is big news that
will affect the Iowa races in a positive way.
It is Gov. Dean’s intention to build a progressive infrastructure, one not unlike what the ultra-conservatives have been building for the last 35 years. And supporting our state and local candidates is one way he’s going to do it.
I have
long admired Gov. Dean, not only because he has high ideals and, as
Jane Austen would say, “correct opinions,” but also because he is a
pragmatic man. He knows that our goals can be accomplished if we
are well organized and systematic, consistent and persistent – and, of
course, well funded. Democracy for Iowa strongly believes that we
have selected a slate of Iowa candidates who are that appealing
combination of high ideals, correct opinions, and pragmatism.
To contribute to Gov. Dean’s cause, click here.
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