Action, folks.

It's fine to vent on DU, but we need to plan for ACTION.

First principle: Do NOT expect the Democratic leadership to stand up for you.

Second Principle: Do NOT go third-party (yet), reason: we got 48% or more of the vote with the "1st and 4th most liberal members of the Senate". No third party will get anywhere yet.

Third Principle: Slow and Steady does it. Work the grassroots.

(1) BBV - give to BBV, give to the recount project.

(2) Join your Democratic organization, organize your precinct / district / county. If it's a weak organization you can take it over. Grassroots Democrats tend to be a lot more "left" than the leadership, so let's build it from the bottom.

(3) Target a local or state race or races, and start planning to clobber some selected Republicans in 2006. If they're vulnerable, take them out. If they're strong, give them a scare.

(4) Register voters, especially people who don't get talked to much - those in apartments, those in conservative areas. Help your neighboring "red" county if you have one.

(5) Retain volunteers and activists: get volunteer lists from the campaigns that you worked on and start calling them. Get them togather and build a local organization. Don't let them waste their energies or give up hope.

This is a long-term project. Keep your job and maintain your health, physical and mental. Go ahead and make money off the corporate system - you'll need it to fight them. Look to the future. Act, don't react.

but also keep in mind things can become event driven. What will these next four years bring (or 2 before the next elections)?