This post is just my opinion. I needed to say it because I think there's a big picture issue that needs to be addressed in the decision by DK not to participate in NN 2015 because of its location in Arizona.
I want to start by saying I respect Markos' decision and understand his reasoning. It's also his site, his sweat, blood, tears and intellectual property that has created and built this site into such an amazing place for progressives/liberals to discuss things that matter to us and push to elect "more and better democrats". To that end the decision is ultimately his whether to participate in the NN 2015 conference, but if he sticks to his guns and doesn't take the board there with a major presence it will be a shame.
The reason why I disagree with his decision is pretty basic. One of the major points of this site is (as quoted above) to elect more and better democrats. Now there have been a lot of pie fights around these parts recently between the hardcore progressives who don't want to have to compromise at all and those of us more concerned with simply winning elections at this point in time. I don't think those of us who first and foremost want to win don't care about electing better, more progressive democrats, but in a pinch we regularly push to keep voting D no matter what even if the D option is a less than perfect one.
One of the most glaring examples of this is the Warren Vs. Clinton arguments that have been busting out all over this place in the last few months. Some of the Warren backers (and aren't we all Elizabeth Warren fans?) have become increasingly strident about not voting for HRC if she is the Democrat POTUS nominee in 2016. Those of us on the other side have been urging them not to do that because holding on to the WH at this critical point in our country's history is vitally important and must be done at any cost. Markos has written several posts backing HRC and urging everyone to stay the course though he's been more hammering home the point that HRC will be a fine POTUS than dealing with the lesser of two evils issue.
Still the point remains - to truly win we have to stay united, more so than ever at this crucial juncture in time. The GOP learned this lesson long ago and have used it to great advantage even bringing the country to a screeching halt in the last year+ by marching in lockstep to their Nobama agenda.
Now some of you maybe asking, "yes, but what does that have to do with NN 2015?" Well, in my opinion, by staying away DK will be making the same mistake as those people who are willing to stay home rather than cast their vote for what they perceive to be the lesser of two evils. Right now, right here we are watching the GOP go through it's death throes. It is in the process of splintering and becoming less powerful or even irrelevant This is playing out on the nightly news as I type. This is OUR moment. We have the chance to seize control of the country and drive it in the direction we want it to go - the direction this very website has been instrumental in steering us all toward.
Now is not the time to sit one out. Now is the time to swallow our pride and stick together because this... is... our... moment. Let's not turn away from it just as it finally arrives. Let us embrace it. Let us fight for it. Let us push for it and let us make it happen. Whatever that takes, be that voting for a Democrat who doesn't make our heart flutter or standing tall with the rest of the progressive movement in a less than ideal location we need to do it and we need to do it as one.
Because as Markos himself is proud of pointing out - when we vote we win. That can be translated to -when we stand together, we win. And in the end and for the moment winning is all that matters. There's a time to take a principled stand, hold your nose and turn your back, this is not that time.
Please reconsider. Don't turn your back on NN 2015 because you don't like Arizona.