"This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change." Barack Obama

Obama said it himself in his acceptance speech last night - We have a CHANCE for change. If progressives are to realize our ideals into policy/action, we're going to have to sustain grassroots pressure with all the tools in the tool box.... you know my favorite.

So what he's saying is this - Look, I can't just waive a magic want and grant you policies that make sense. This is still politics USA. Your tribes need to provide a groundswell of support for each and every issue to give me the political cover to make change. Voting me in is not enough - the party's just getting started.

It's our time for offense and not a time to fall asleep at the wheel now that the D's are in charge. It's our chance to organize and move decision makers, and the public, toward a sustainable future. Listen up - they will not do it for us.

While I'm excited about this change, it's tempered with 15 yrs of working as an advocacy organizer on federal issues. The so called glory days of Clinton brought our national forest THE worst logging policy ever created - the "Logging without Laws Rider" that suspended federal envr. laws for 2 years. The dems did very little to improve national forest policy when they had a chance. Why? Politics ... our issue was sold out for gains elsewhere.

So do I think Obama and the Dems are going to champion our causes? Depends on how we organize.

The role of online communications will play a huge role in this next chapter and we want you to be ready.

With this window for change, DemocracyInAction is committed to help you achieve your goals. Stay tuned for our continued improvements to Salsa and tools we offer to our community.