Today, two articles in Mother Jones Magazine address the issue of Democrats moving forward. The first piece, by Michael Kazin, looks at the history of the Democratic Party for the key to it's future:

Through most of its history, the Democratic Party was the natural home of hard-pressed, unglamorous America -- manual workers, dirt farmers, small businessmen just a bad month away from bankruptcy court. Known during the 19th century simply as "the Democracy," it all but invented the repertoire of mass politics with such innovations as storefront offices, precinct captains, and torchlight parades....

A reborn Democratic Party would draw ideas and energy from states and local communities, enlisting candidates and organizers who share the values and language of the people whose votes they'll be seeking. It could sponsor comedy nights and dance parties and debates about whether one can support gay marriage and still be a good Christian; throw street festivals at which every immigrant society, sportsmen's club, church, temple, and mosque feels welcome; offer a place for seniors to meet and for community organizers to gather. In a word, it could act a great deal more like the people's party of old, and less like a traveling circus that folds its tents after the first Tuesday in November.

The second article, by Todd Gitlin, looks back at the incredible surge in first-time activism that occurred last year:

What struck me most in conversations with several dozen volunteers, carpetbaggers and locals alike, was the almost uniform answer they gave when I asked if they had ever worked on a national political campaign: No. A few had pitched in for local campaigns, that's all. One had worked for George McGovern in 1972. Most had simply rooted for political causes -- if that.

For many in the DFA community, this passage strikes a chord. Last year marked their first time canvassing, their first time working the polls, or even their first time running for office. After both disappointment and success at all levels of government, the Democratic Party moves forward with a new focus; "this movement-machine must get used to defining itself as a moral force, so that the right to health care is a value, the right to a living wage is a value, the preservation of clean air and the regulation of climate change are values, the rights of couples are values."

These two articles are free to view on Wednesday, December 23; however, after that date, the access code "MJCH5A" must be used to access the content.