When Will We Build?

From the Roots has a piece that says that the state Democratic parties are woefully unprepared on their technical campaign tools -- something that shouldn't shock anyone who has even glanced at our state parties. It is disappointing, though.

One cannot but sigh at the squandered potential in so many states. Places like Kansas are barren Republican wastelands, not because conservatives outnumber progressives and swing voters, but because we have conceded to them and do not marshall even a reasonable approximation of the resources and sophistication necessary to win. And supposedly safe states, like Maryland, are really hollow approximations of what they should be with Republicans masquerading as Democrats and a public that is rapidly losing interest in the long-time majority party.

A bit of focus is what is in order. Technically we are behind the Rs and need to improve dramatically, but also in terms of human power.

When will we invest long-term in political operatives that can make a difference, through training and mentoring, rather then just using them in campaigns and then letting them disappear? When will we realize that creating the infrastructure to win takes more than just millions invested for campaigns? When will we build the strenth to really change things?

This leads one to think about the progressive activist forces stack up against the conservatives, but that's probably best left to another time.