Help Wanted: bold progressives

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (BoldProgressives.org) knows for a fact that Hullabaloo readers are some of the most well-informed folks out there when it comes to the progressive movement and our critique of today's politics. We also know there are some incredibly talented readers who want to put their skills to work. And the progressive movement definitely needs those skills!

That's why we would like to extend a formal invitation to Hullabaloo readers to apply for a number of positions:

• A paid PCCC fellowship -- done from wherever you live, with job responsibilities matched to fit your skill set. You'll help mobilize our 800,000 members on behalf of progressive candidates and issues, including pushing Democrats to be more progressive. Click here to apply for a fall, spring, or summer fellowship.
• Working on a 2012 progressive campaign -- done from the election's location, with a range of positions available (ie manager, finance, field, new media, communications). Click here to apply.
• The PCCC's "Next Generation Of Talent" initiative -- for those not necessarily looking for a full-time job, but who have awesome skills like video editing, graphic design, computer coding, Spanish translation, music, art, etc. that you'd like to lend to the progressive cause. Click here to see full list and sign up.

Part of what the Progressive Change Campaign Committee is trying to achieve in our politics is culture shift.

This includes placing smart, competent, progressive-movement people onto congressional races who will encourage candidates to not just win, but win progressively -- working with movement allies to do that. This is a contrast to staffers who may be great at the nuts and bolts of campaigning, but who have only been exposed to the conventional wisdom about how to win. Any Hullaballoo reader knows that opposing the public option, sucking up to Wall Street, and cutting Medicare benefits is not "moderate." It's extreme and politically stupid. It certainly isn't the way to attract people-powered volunteer help or donations. If you have campaign skills (including new media skills) and want to apply to work on a progressive campaign this cycle, click here.

Culture shift also includes replacing DC consultants -- who often charge candidates and organizations too much money for stale, cookie-cutter work -- with a new crop of talent whose work is better, more authentic, more affordable, and rooted in progressive values. Through our Next Generation Of Talent initiative, we found a 24 year-old grad student to make this New York Times ad featuring the names of 400 Obama campaign staffers pushing him to be stronger on the public option. Not only did Keith Olbermann feature this ad on TV, but it won the American Association of Political Consultants' annual award for best full-page ad of 2009. In other words, a regular person's talent actually beat the consultants. If you have skills, even if not much time to spare, the PCCC wants to work with you and/or connect you with progressive campaigns who desperately need your help. Click here to see a full list of skills and sign up for the Next Generation of Talent Initiative.

And finally, culture shift includes building progressive movement infrastructure -- both to grow long-term progressive power separate from any Party and to show the Democratic establishment that being progressive equals political success. That's what the PCCC does.

For the last two months, we led a Draft Elizabeth Warren for Senate campaign -- which organized local grassroots councils throughout Massachusetts, generated lots of positive news coverage, and has now raised over $300,000 for Warren. Many PCCC fellows worked on this effort, with one former fellow (now promoted to PCCC Organizer) from Massachusetts taking the lead locally. During the Wisconsin fight, we made some of the most innovative TV ads out there -- rooted not in scary narrators but instead in telling the real stories of real people. The people in this ad, this ad, and this adwere all found from among our membership by PCCC fellows -- and we showed the establishment that people will donate to air TV ads that are actually persuasive and emotionally compelling. Other fellows who have tech experience, Capitol Hill experience, or online-organizing experience are plugged into projects where they can do the most good. The bottom line is that we're a scrappy team, we try to do innovative work, we think long term in addition to engaging in the short term, and there is plenty of responsibility to go around -- so we need your help! Click here to apply for a paid fall, spring, or summer fellowship.

If I recall correctly, Hullabaloo was the first blog ever to link to BoldProgressives.org when we were first getting off the ground. Thanks to Digby -- and the Hullaloo community -- for being so supportive of our work. And we hope to work with many of you soon.