This article by Ruy Teixeira, the author of last year's "The Emerging Democratic Majority", updates his accounts and analysis of the 2002 election cycle and current trends...

Especially notable in the article is a mention by the Cook Political Report that a swing of just more than 0.10% of all votes cast in 2002 would have brought Democrats control of the US Senate and House.

The Big Lesson: turnout counts....

The DLC dismissal memo of Howard Dean has me thinking about something else since this brouhaha started....

I'm sure there are many who can share my view on siblings. My brother and I are about two years apart in age. On the surface, we couldn't be more different: artist vs. scientist; flexible vs detail-oriented, etc. Underneath, however, we're very much the same.

And sometimes, being both the same and yet different means we drive each other crazy. Literally. Pushing each other's buttons, talking past one another; he's down when I'm up, I'm down when he's up: that's just a part of our relationship.

But we're family. And we both know that, no matter what, we'll always be there for each other in a pinch.

To hide this conflict may be nice, comforting, or marketable, but it's not real. We'll always have as much or more in common than any other people we know. We'll always support each other, even if we don't always agree....even if there's a heated exchange involved somewhere along the line.

Regardless of their differences, Democrats / Independents / liberal Republicans / Greens are more alike than not. And I think Howard Dean may be the one to finally inspire this important realization....

Don't mind me while I "geek out"....

This is a nice little link analysis engine that matches blogs up by common outbound links... With Technorati Inbound, you can see who's linked to you...

Both now listed under 'Sphere (near bottom, left column)...and, I also added XML tags (for those who care) to my reading list entries....

...Dean for America: now, "en Espanol"...

And thanks to Brad DeLong for the 'roll: read him and become "econ-enlightened"...

...here from the local Seattle newsweekly, The Stranger. (thanks to CAforDean mail list) Seattle seems very enthusiastic about Howard Dean, based on last nights event attendance....
...and here, from the Dartmouth Free Press (thanks to Dean2004 blog).

The DLC and Dean should be united, not divided (thanks to Rick Klau)...I assume this was Bill Clinton's point (thanks to Interesting Times)....

...and Democrats With a Bit O' Spine (from DailyKos),
...and more on the Killer D's (from Burnt Orange Report),
...and The Everyone's Got (a) Healthcare Plan (from MSNBC),
...and Bill Clinton, DLC Leadership at Odds Over Dean Candidacy (from the AP via The Guardian and Washington Post),
...and the Dean Team response....

Oh, My!

A sampling of economics-oriented blog entries, from NoHo-missives, Whiskey Bar (initial post and follow-up) and Brad DeLong: many thanks to each....

** Warning: deep philosophical rant ahead **

In a new article on TomPaine.com, Jim Lobe explores the theories of Leo Strauss and their relationship to current U.S. foreign policy. Asia Times online provides a rebuttal....

Some children might view some parents at one time or another as Straussians: "Do as I say, not as I do", "Deceit with good intentions is OK for me, not for you". I know I've used my share of directness with my daughter ("Don't think, just do" is Straussian)...but then again, she won't always be an active and precocious three year old child (active and precocious, yes; child, no). And I encourage her to know that I make mistakes, can't know everything, want her to make choices and to think for herself. (Bug's Life as an anti-Straussian polemic? oh, my...)

I cannot agree that this rearing is dangerous for some children (the crowd) and not for others (the elite).

Everyone has a right to grow up: even adults...

Mydd.com has a deeper analysis of Joe Klein's Time article and other trends...

The official Dean Volunteers web site includes a list of opportunities to get involved in your area....

In the just posted Time article, entitled "How to Build a Better Democrat", Joe Klein casts his gauntlet:

"[The Democrats] face challenges on three different fronts: patriotism, optimism and confidence. They will have to convince the public that they are as committed to national defense, and to the judicious use of military force, as the Republicans are. They will have to shed their congenital pessimism....[and,] They will need a candidate who is easy in his skin, who sounds different from other politicians—freer, perhaps; funnier, certainly—and who is confident enough to risk broad, bold themes that capture the national imagination rather than parsing the special yearnings of enough demographic slivers to win the election."

To me, this IS Howard Dean - No Need To Build. Polish and focus, yes; but the raw materials are in place and getting better every day.

Framing Moment of the Day: as long as national media continue to conflate "anti-war" with "Anti-War" and refuse to point out the precipitous unilateralist tenor of a co-opted "Strong on Defense", the Republicans will continue to marginalize the truly mainstream (not just Democratic) position of "Honest, True Security" for ourselves, our country and our world....(Okay, that's a mouthful)...

"Honesty Security" - That's what I want: don't you?

I got the Bloglet update today (Sunday) - will try a different setting for tomorrow and see if that works for us....