As a member of the State Democratic Committee, I agree wholeheartedly with the article here from Tom Barksdale.  The Republican Party did not rise to its level of power today by ignoring the blue states.  I believe the DNC's lack of support given to Georgia and other red states these past few election cycles was instrumental in losses ranging from our local School Board races to the Presidency.  Likewise the lack of support by the DPG and the Cobb County Party to races in East Cobb and other conservative areas of the county was instrumental in our overall failure to win more Democratic seats in the legislature and in Congress.  In my view, the DPG and the Cobb Party can no longer afford to ignore the conservative areas of the State and Cobb County.

So here is my question for Cobb County Democrats.  What will be our short and long-term strategy for winning back Cobb for Democratic and progressive candidates?  I understand the reluctance of the Cobb County Democratic Committee to spend large sums of monies on races that they are less likely to win in the short term.  So, in my view, there is only one solution.  Democrats and Progressives in East and North Cobb must work independently to support our own candidates.

To this end,  at least three groups are now working to revitalize Democratic and progressive efforts in East and North Cobb.  The first, you know about.  It's this group, the East Cobb Democratic Alliance.  The second, is the East Cobb Democrats Steering Committee chaired by Bruce Redd, with myself, Frieda Smith, and others who have decided to recruit and help fund candidates in E. Cobb.  The third, is a similar group, the North Cobb Democrats, chaired by Vince Exley, with Melissa Pike, Tom Barksdale and others.  All of us are committed to the issues and candidates of East and Northern Cobb County.  

So what can you do to start winning back Cobb County for progressive candidates?  First, contact Bruce Redd, Vince Exley or me to become an dedicated active leader in your area of Cobb to recruit candidates and support issues.  We are looking for active workers and leaders who will work hard to raise funds for, and work with, local candidates; to register Democrats, canvass precincts, write letters to media outlets, phone bank, organize petitions, and do anything else to lead in the fight to win back Cobb, our state, and our country for progressive candidates.

But we cannot ignore the national issues.  The Republican Party is in disarray after the failure of their efforts to roll back Social Security, their overreaching on the Terry Shiavo matter, the infamous Downing Street Memos, their refusal to demand the firing of administration officials responsible for the outing of CIA covert agent Valerie Plame Wilson as well as her cover organization.  Add on to these, their failed Iraq strategy, the botched capture of Osama bin Laden, and the mounting number of war casualties and Al Qaeda terrorist attacks word-wide.  As a result, many disaffected moderate Republicans, independent voters, and Libertarians are ready for a change and are willing to support progressive issues and candidates, nationally and locally.

So, we need a holistic strategy to win back Cobb, Georgia and America.  We need to run candidates in 2006 against 6th District Congressman Tom Price as well as 11th District Congressmen Phil Gingrey.  We need to challenge School District Post 6 member Kathie Johnstone, 41st District Representative Sharon Cooper and 32nd District Senator Judson Hill.  We need to work to defeat Sonny Perdue, by increasing the percentage of votes against Perdue, here in these most conservative parts of the county.  We must also work to support a progressive candidate for Senator and President in 2008.  Perhaps not all these races can be won in 2006 or even in 2008, but we cannot win at all unless we run and support our candidates.  We have to play the game in order to win.