So the overwhelming emphasis amongst the defeated Dems seems to be (and I have heard this phrase repeated over and over in the past 48 hours) "to find the message that works."

Everyone agrees the problems we face, and the solutions we need offer, can't be reduced to 30 or 60 second soundbytes.

So the pols then put most of their efforts, year in and year out because they are always fundraising, to crafting the message that appeals to the most "potential likely voters".

How is a grassroots constituency, a loyal citizen opposition, to be empowered, when the public debate is being controlled by the two party brand identity advertising?

Conventional organizing strategies used by the unions and the party loyalists hasn't been working for years, as can be measured by lower participation and bleeding to third parties or voters non-aligned with any party. The nation's voters are fewer and fewer each year, and polarization of those voters is becomes more and more pronounced, until we see the election results of 2000 and 2002.

The unions haven't been able to get their membership to vote in as large a bloc since Reagan stole so many of them away, and busted many of the rest. The most solid voting bloc is still the African American vote, which can still be counted on to turn out over 80% Dem in any election. But like every other group, they have poor voter turnout too.

I find it interesting that the only solutions being offered by Dems is to fire the Old Guard leadership, find the message that works, and carry on business as usual. No mention whatsoever of bringing people back to the party. It looks like a real good bet to say the party ain't going to be welcoming the left back into the fold any time soon.

So what are those of us on the progressive left supposed to do? We can't get any traction on the third party side, and we can't get back into the Dem party. So what options that does that leave to make effective change and not only make our voices heard and votes count, but see positive action taken on OUR agenda?