To many people, the allure of Howard Dean did not lie in his opposition to the Iraq War (though that was and remains a huge issue) but his fight to reassert the idea of a government of the people, rather than of the elites in either party. Dean, in short, represented establishing Democracy for America.

There come times when we citizens get discouraged. We feel the political process is unresponsive, or broken. When we have a government that defies the will of the people, that shuts out democratic debate in the legislature, that brokers deals in Albany, it feels natural to be discouraged. When our national newspapers believe their job is to be a stenographer and blindly copy press releases; when our mainstream media shut out dissident voices in the runup to the Iraq war in the endless search for ratings; when our lazy local media barely bothers to cover, much less show up for, many happenings in government, it’s easy to turn cynical and lose hope.

But remember. We have the power. You have the power.

Ordinary people, with no experience with the political process, can do wondrous things.
The right to vote is a great thing, but only the meanest of your powers. Lots of people forget than they can Do More Than Vote. Volunteer for a local candidate. Go to public meetings of your town/county/city government and write about what you heard. Maybe bring a camera, take some video. (You can find a comprehensive guide to video-blogging here). Join a local progressive organization. Does your church/shul/mosque talk about compassion for others and helping those that can’t help themselves? Does it sometimes organize events to benefit the whole community? Turns out they might be a progressive organization that doesn’t even know it.

Try calling your senator, state assemblyman, school board member, mayor, whatever. Sign petitions, attend rallies. Talk to your friends about causes you believe in. Network. Participate in national efforts, like with the EFF, ACLU, Clean Money/Clean Elections, and so on. Donate to public TV/Radio. While they aren’t perfect, they’re less horrible than most other media.

Or, you can start from the ground up. Gather up your friends, and bring a petition to your local/state government. Demand accountability. Demand open government. Demand modern broadband. Remember, they work for you!

Look at the example in Maine. One student with a vision got a law passed, and not even by referendum. His idea of easing college debt for those who stay in Maine is a great, progressive idea. He felt crushed by the burden of college debts, but he also knew he had the power. And now, as Borat would say, “Great Success!”

DfaRochester has a great quote by Governor Dean:

“The biggest lie told by people like me to people like you at election time is that, ‘If you vote for me, I’m going to solve all your problems.’ The truth is, the power to change this country is in your hands, not mine.”