What is now more clear than ever is that building a progressive political force is a 24/7/365 effort. It's not just work to be done during election cycles, and not just done in presidential and congressional elections.
Tuesday morning at the Take Back the American Dream conference included major sessions on how to build a lasting progressive power base, from the ground up.
"I think we increase our chances of winning when we have an infrastructure that has been laid down" based on progressive issue stands over a long period of time, in which deep relationships have been developed, said Bob Master, legislative and political director for the Communications Workers of America in New York, at a "99 Elect: Dream Candidates in 2012" strategy session.
One way to do it is to have more progressive people actually running for state and local offices. That's why Progressive Majority distributed cards that said, "Progressive Majority wants you to run for office!" (You can take up the challenge at RunForAmerica.org.)
"Most national candidates started at the state or local level," said Gloria Totten, Progressive Majority's director. "It is literally the system though which people come to Washington."
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