What are Democracy for America's values? Can anyone tell me?

Written by: Edwin Rutsch on Nov 29, 2007 6:37 PM EST

I've started creating a list of Progressive Organizations and the values and/or principles that they support. It's part of an effort to get a sense of the values shared among the different Progressive Organizations. I'd like to interview representatives from these organizations as well for our What are Progressive Values? Documentary Project.

Some organizations have a dedicated web page where they clearly lay out either a list of values or a list of principles that they are working toward or support. Many others, just indirectly mention their values or principles scattered throughout the text of their website.

Now when I go to the DFA website, I don't get a clear sense of what are the values it supports. Are DFA's values the ones promoted by Howard Dean in his speech at the Take Back America conference? Howard Dean proposes;
Fairness
Equal rights (more of a principle?)
Health Care (not a value but and issue)
Strength and Toughness
Smartness
Fiscal Responsibility (more of a principle based on responsibility?)

Progressive Values? Howard Dean - Fairness, Responsibility, Strength http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDyxTntD3qg

From the DFA website democracyforamerica.com, on the heading image I see:
Social Progress
Fiscal Responsibility
Grassroots Activism
These are more principles than values.

In the democracyforamerica.com "About DFA" section , I see:

" Democracy for America is a political action committee dedicated to supporting fiscally responsible, socially progressive candidates at all levels of government"
fiscally responsible (more of a principle)
socially progressive (more of a principle?)

"DFA supports socially progressive candidates"
but there's no mention of what socially progressive values are.

"DFA fights against the influence of the far right-wing and their radical, divisive policies and the selfish special interests that for too long have dominated our politics."
This is more about what DFA is against, selfishness, divisiveness

selfishness: "devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others. " So what would the opposite be or what would DFA be for?

divisiveness: "forming or expressing division or distribution. creating dissension or discord. " What would DFA be for? unity, community, harmony?

So, what are the official DFA values that I should put on my list of Progressive Organizations?
http://progressivespirit.com/Projects/OrganizationsValues

Also, let me know of any other progressive organizations I should add and their values.

thanks

Edwin

What are Progressive Values? Documentary Project & Study Group
ProgressiveSpirit.com
DFALink: What are Progressive Values? Study Group
Discussion Listserver on Yahoo Groups

Tags: