Brent Budowsky, who can write some pretty good stuff, seems to be drinking the Kool-Aid of delirious optimism:

1. Democrats should aspire to build a new era in American history of
patriotic reform and national renewal similar to the eras of FDR and JFK. By electing a Democratic President and Democratic Congress in 2008 we can inaugurate the next New Deal and New Frontier and we should think in large, idealistic terms.

2. 2007 will see the coming together of this growing alliance between Democratic leaders, national grassroots, the progressive blogs and progressive radio which will all flourish and support each other more than pundits predict. News and communications power will be further shifted from MSM to independent news sites.

This new alliance will empower voters, lift the party, widen the debate and attract political support and investment capital. The sites mentioned include Arianna and Huffington, Caro Kay and makethemaccountable, Mark Karlin and Buzzflash, Rob Kall and OpEd News and Bob Parry and consortiumnews among others.

3. The Democratic Party will regain its historic leadership on natonal security by expanding on its major gains in 2006 with Senators, Members of Congress, and candidates with military service addressing issues important to our troops, vets and mlitary communities.

What planet is Budowsky living on? Does he think this ‘new progressive era’ will be ushered in by a group that doesn’t even have the balls to call for impeachment, or more importantly, cutting off funding for the war, as Kucinich has suggested? Yes, from time to time I wonder if the pendulum has swung as far as it has to the right and we’re on the verge of some Third Progressive Era. Then I roll over and go back to sleep.

You can read more of JD Ryan at five before chaos. But why would you want to?