I have been carrying on a continuing conversation with a young mother who is adding civic involvement to her already full life. The conversation has been a sobering wake up call to me. She and her husband, both well-educated professionals, have two young daughters.

And she is afraid. She is afraid of the world in which she is raising her children. She is afraid of global warming, she is afraid of the coming economic troubles, she is afraid of the radical fundamentalist right wing's attack on science (she is a scientist by training), afraid that our elections will be stolen, afraid that food, water and air will be unsafe for her children. Bush and the Republicans in Congress have done their job of promoting fear very well.

I have not heard her express fear of terrorism, or gay marriage, or immigrants, but she surely is in pain about the future for her children.

I have two daughters as well. They were born in the 60s, and there was fear then, too. Fear of nuclear war. But I sense a greater fear in my friend than I felt then. I try to keep my spirits up by working hard for the causes I believe in, electing good people, helping my town survive a vicious attack by ignorant people, but hearing her makes me hurt. I have grandchildren now, and I hurt for them as well.

There are many young families who must have the same fears. If we cannot fix this for ourselves, can we do it for them?

DENISE WALDERICH, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

I am a citizen of Goffstown, a 59-year old grandmother of three, and a life-long Democrat.

Click "read more" for complete platform.

At the Peterborough Meetup last night, the question came up as to what does DFNH mean by fiscally responsible, socially progressive. In DFNH organizational planning, we had discussions about the DFNH "platform" and agenda, which included things such as:

Alex and Herb recommend that we set aside 30 minutes Saturday to review the proposed Democratic Party Platform. Modifications to it are due no later than Monday at 5PM. (Alex gives a Mea Culpa for saying there was no agenda. Both of us are navigationally challenged when it comes to this site) :)

1. Reach out to all sectors – social, cultural, political, economic - in our New Hampshire community and cultivate a diverse network of citizens working together toward common cause.
2. Recruit and encourage progressive candidates to run for office at every level. We will help them find the resources to campaign successfully with small donations from grassroots supporters, to begin to break the stranglehold special interests have on the political process.
3. Raise funds for local, state and national candidates for whom financial support could be the key to winning, and whose election will be key to winning back a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Read more...
4. Develop strategic partnerships with other progressive organizations to maximize resources for candidate recruitment, training, and organization.
5. Build relationships with other political initiatives to focus on the failed, destructive policies of many of our elected officials and the hopes and plans for new policies that support a government of the people, by the people and for the people.