Netroots Nation Day 3...And Into 4

So here I am, sitting two tables from the podium of the main stage here at Netroots Nation on a beautiful (and not so hot yet) morning. People are filing in for the Van Jones Keynote speech, the last of many great speakers over the course of four days. Like last year, the convention was an incredible experience for me. Perhaps not so much in the way of learning new things about the netroots, but certainly getting more in touch with the people that make up our wonderful progressive web. As I type, Mayor Gavin Newsom is walking by with his entourage (he'll be speaking this morning as well), pictures are filing by on the monitors, showing politicians, activists and friends (certainly not separate entities) from the course of the last few days.

That is really what this place is all about. There is such a wealth of information online and many of us are voracious readers, both online and in print. The online part is self-explanatory, but the incredible amount of progressive authors with books on a diverse array of issues is a testament to the growing power and spread of information that we are putting out there to counter the spin and lies of the right.

Sure, it is far from where we need to be to overcome the many obstacles that Republicans (and some Democrats) throw in our way with the mighty power that corporate money affords them. But as I munch on my scone and drink my coffee at my table for the morning, I see tremendous hope for our progressive and yes, 'liberal' quest. It is time to put an end to the free reign of the conservative message machine and the way words like 'liberal' are co-opted. After the speeches and 'blogger brunch' this morning, we will fan out to our respective cities, towns and rural locales and continue to fight for what we believe in. So much has been accomplished in the last few years...and the potential we have to effect the change we desire is ready to be converted into pure, raw, activist energy.