The results are in. We're proud to announce the MoveOn member choice for our new, positive agenda:

1. Health care for all

2. Energy independence through clean, renewable sources

3. Democracy restored

These three goals were nominated, debated, and overwhelmingly selected by more than 100,000 people in local house parties and then online. Most groups would say this is a far too risky way to make such a big decision. But it's this grassroots consensus that makes this agenda different--and powerful.
So what's next? This month, we'll launch a major campaign for a clean energy future, starting by breaking the vise-grip of big oil in Washington with our "Oil Free Congress" initiative. Expect hundreds of local events, advertising, national media attention and accountability at the ballot box--and that's just for the first of our 3 new goals.

Of course, we won't let up in our work to end the war in Iraq, and we'll still respond to immediate threats in Congress. But our new agenda will focus our long-term work, offer voters a positive, inspiring reason to support progressives on Election Day, and push Democrats to think big and fight hard.

And they end with this plea for new new members:

Let's be clear: we've chosen big goals here, and seeing them through won't be easy. There are powerful interests who prefer things the way they are, and we'll never match them in sheer dollars or backroom deals.

Our strength lies where it always has: the voice, energy, and creativity of 3 million MoveOn members. If we're going to make health care a right, power America with clean energy, and restore our democracy, we're going to need as many likeminded folks on board as we can get. So today, we're turning to you to help build the team.

I realize that TOD attracts people from many different political persuasions, but I think we can all agree that this is a major watershed. In the past progressives focused most of their political efforts related to energy on the defense - stop nuclear, stop drilling, stop everything...even the Kennedy clan coming out against off-their-shore wind power. Now MoveOn has a clear mandate to push in a positive direction for energy independence. The risk, which is already evident in their "Oil-free Congress" idea is that scapegoating and name calling are considered "positive action". Another risk is that they fall for some "sounds good, but is completely unrealistic one-shot solution", like "We'll just do it like Brazil on ethanol".

They must realize that, when it comes to the Politics of Oil, the Discourse Must Change

The clear path to energy idependence is to dramatically reduce demand for energy in an economically responsible way that is sustainable and equitable. This means everything from Alan's rail electrification proposal to taxing gasoline to finding ways of using less fossil fuels on the farm. It may even require more nuclear!

And I think the folks over at Daily Kos have produced a pretty good blueprint.

But still, this is progress for those of us deeply concerned about peak oil and it's potential impact on economics and our society. While a few years ago, energy was pretty low on the national consciousness, it is now atop the US national political agenda. How that plays out, depends on us good citizens bringing sanity, data and logic to the debate.