65 Days to the Election ... but Whose Counting

Labor Day traditionally signals the beginning of the political season, but as we all know the campaigns have been in high gear for months. This holiday weekend is, however, a good time to remind everyone just how important it is to vote.

When national elections are won or lost by an alleged 537 votes, think of the impact progressives could have on the mid-term elections -- and the fate of our Democracy.

The New York Times today says G.O.P. Seen to Be in Peril of Losing House.

After a year of political turmoil, Republicans enter the fall campaign with their control of the House in serious jeopardy, the possibility of major losses in the Senate, and a national mood so unsettled that districts once considered safely Republican are now competitive, analysts and strategists in both parties say.

In the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll, just 29 percent said the country was headed in the right direction, a measure of national pessimism that rivals the 26 percent who felt that way in October 1994. The war in Iraq, the price of gas and a sense of economic unease all play roles, analysts say. The mood is particularly sour in states like Indiana and Ohio, where it is stoked by local issues and the Republican governors' political difficulties.

People are angry, and rightfully so. But as you know, my mantra has always been "don't agonize, organize!" ... and that is what we must do for the next 65 days.

If you are currently helping a political campaign, volunteer more hours each week. If you contribute to political campaigns, give more. Plan to take election day off from work, go to the polls and vote -- and take five people with you that you think will vote for the Democratic candidates. Plan to work the polls on election day handing out "palm cards" for the candidate(s) you support. It's amazing how many voters you can influence by this simple act.

We all have a stake in this, so we must do all we can to take back Congress.