Skills Summit Speaker Alan Khazei writes on The Huffington Post

Check out "Enough with the 'Money Primary' Let's Move on to the Big Ideas Primary" at

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-khazei/enough-with-the-money-pr_b_45234.html

post your own thoughts, and then, come hear Khazei for yourself at the Liberalism and Leadership Summit this Sunday, April 15th, 1pm Sever Hall

Sign up at: www.harvarddems.com/node/2376

Khazei writes:

This past week, the political establishment has been obsessing over who "won" and who "lost" stage one of the so-called "money primary." But the first incumbent-free presidential election in 55 years should first and foremost be about ideas and leadership. Money buys organization, but voters want a candidate prepared to take America forward - someone who has come to grips with the unique historical times we live in, and laid out a vision, backed by a bold, specific agenda, ready to face the challenges and seize the opportunities facing America and the world.

An open letter (jus cuz I feel like it)

Dear senators and representatives of the 110^th Congress,

As the buzz of last night’s champagne wears off and you start packing your travel bags for the grand ole trip to Washington, I have one humble request: please, for the love of God, do not mess this up. I know you have just undergone a pressure cooker of an electoral season and want to revel in victory, you have witnessed, battled and survived some of the grimiest tactics in smear and scandal in media, and even your campaign managers are feeling pretty smug; but you have to get over that— it’s time to put your game face on.

Let’s be honest: we squabbled and flip flopped our way into a horrible 2004 campaign and floundered alongside our republican legislators in the disoriented military quagmire that is Iraq. During our paralysis, President Bush co-opted confusion and twisted patriotism into costly military overextension (for which all but 21 of our own agreed to in 2002 if you remember). Then, we realized the true Conrad inspired hollowness of the GOP’s claims and proceeded to watch in horrified awe.

This can’t happen any more. We have the power and duty to act upon the DNC credo “Together, America can do better” and lead the country in a new direction. It’s going to be tough. After all, you’ve been going at legislating with a loser’s albatross for the past 12 years so your thinking caps may be a little rusty. Shake it off. Hit the books, the gym, whatever. Just get it together before January. We have a health care crisis, Iraq is hemorrhaging funds, and don’t think that Bush’s conciliatory language doesn’t mean that at first chance the Republicans won’t go for the jugular.

Voters sent Bush a message, but they also gave you a mandate: make change. Let’s see your offense. Don’t stall at the post. No amount of trash talk will impact the scoreboard; you have to DO something. So just do it. Take the ball, get down court, and make the crowd go wild with a slam dunk in the first quarter (say, a sensible two tiered health coverage plan or god forbid some type of improvement in our billion dollar blasé educational system). Look, Rumsfeld is out, so you have no excuse: fix Iraq, make us more secure, and don’t build a wall.

You’ve got the ball and you have two years to play. As President Bush said today, we need to “conduct ourselves in an ethical manner, work together to address the challenges facing our nation.” Whatever. Just get the job done. Let’s see a plan shining in social reform, responsible budgeting, and ethical, transparent government. Need I remind you that if you fail, 2008 will be a slaughter for the record books?

Together, we get can do better. Nancy Pelosi said in a speech today, “Democrats are ready to lead. We are prepared to govern. And we will do so working… in partnership not in partisanship.” Listen please, find a locker room and hash out the plan TOGETHER. No fiefdoms, no narcissist player drama. Get out there and win! Pelosi said it best, “Today we have made history. Now let us make progress.”

Thank you,

Concerned Democrat

GARY HART is coming!!!

I am so excited. Gary Hart is coming to the IOP tomorrow, and all dems should be there. Gary Hart, if you dont' know was a huge proponent of national service. He is dropping by Alan Khazei's study group tomorrow, and then afterwards going on a book signing. This is a BIG deal, so be there, cuz I will.

It's time to start asking where social service comes into the dem advocacy. Thoughts?

IOP 4pm WED, L-166 BE THERE!!!

Leaves are turning: RI TRIP WEEK 2 pondering

Autumn leaves are blushing, beginning to fall from their branches and twirl playfully towards the earth. The sun is shining intermittently, making sunny places seem warmer for the threat of cold shadows. Children half my size are roaming their neighborhoods, watching the college students wearing stickers and toting clipboards with that mixture of suspicion, dismissal, and intrigue so a part of the child’s perspective of a foreign adult world. Anne and I are in Warwick. Somewhere in the grid of homes Kyle and Joanna are wandering too. At two other stops of precincts, the rest of the Dems, literally a busload, are doing the same. We’re walking in the sunshine, feeling the brush of cold air against our cheeks and arms—you can tell October is in the air— as we canvass for Sheldon Whitehouse.

It’s the second Saturday in our weekly road trips to Rhode Island. As always, Rob brought hot cocoa and coffee, delivering it with the characteristic grin that makes a group of my sophomore friends tease him about being a stewardess. Perhaps I should worry about the slightly sexist overtone in the jab, but I told myself that the six hours of service we’re putting in somehow rebalances the abstract scales of my liberal morality. Besides, the whole business of Harvard undergrads on a bee-yellow school bus is too funny to question. The ride gets better every week. On Week 1, Matt had the brilliant idea of song, which we started with a rousing chorus of “The Brady Bunch,” losing the thread somewhere between “very lovely girls” and “all in curls.” Mel added in with her personal favorite “The Fresh Prince of Bell Air,” which was definitely a hit. Throughout, the freshmen watched wide-eyed, half amazed at our juvenility, probably half horrified. This week, sans Matt, Kyle tried to get “Yankee-Doodle Dandy” going, and the freshmen were somewhat more into it. We’ve got a good bunch this year, and this week lots of return faces. I can’t help but feel that our trips harkens back to a bygone age of youth involvement in grassroots politics—a veritable assembly of soldiers, made friends by a common purpose and circumstance. There is something electric about the experience, a sensation of empowerment that sears away the gloss of academia and air chair politics. Why isn’t the bus jammed full, I wonder? For all of the voices I hear on campus proselytizing with the gospel of action, change, liberal ethics, where are the bodies and bearers of those words’ reciprocal burdens? Sure, the Democratic Party isn’t perfect. Yes, I know people are busy. But, I think to myself, this is it. There’s only one election of Congress any time soon, one shot, and it’s so much bigger than the quibbling of a diverse party.

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