I'd like to propose we talk about "What is Success in 30 Days, 60 Days, and 90 Days for DfNH?" at Saturday's meeting.

The reason for this is straight-forward: if we calibrate our expectations for this organization, we will have much better chance of keeping the organization together and actually seeing it grow.

To start the conversation, here's my initial thoughts:

30 days -- press release and public announcement (ideally at NH DP convention), website up-and-running (able to take contributions and new members), committees staffed and engaged in activity; recruitment of ten new candidates to NH state races

60 days -- 2,000 active email addresses in DfNH, most of which have come from chapters; one-statewide activity organized by DfNH; a first-draft of by-laws;

90 days -- 4,000 active email addresses; day-long Fall strategy meeting for DfNH leaders and activists, focusing on how how to have biggest impact in coming election.

At least for now, when I think about DfNH, I think about a flat organization run by volunteers with huge assistance from our website to mobilize and communicate with one another. DfNH will seek to raise only a modest amount of money this year and instead encourage activity (including fundraising) at the chapter level. I see DfNH fundamentally not being a "party" with a command-and-control management style, but instead (again, for now) a framework by which people who are outside of the traditional political infrastructure can be identified and activiated.

The way this session would work would be as follows: using markers and white pads, we'd simply mark out 30, 60, and 90 days, and begin to list what everyone wants to do. After going around the room, we should probably begin to see some consensus, and (just guessing) one or two areas of disagreement.

Is this a good idea, a dumb idea, or what? Feel free to shoot back!