When Barack Obama spoke to the Take Back America conference, the predecessor to the America’s Future Now conference, back in 2007, he spoke about the importance of action from the bottom up. Yesterday, some attendees complained that this conference is a little too top down. There influential speakers make proclamations from but there is little chance for dialog. Some of us suggested that displaying the Twitter stream on the screen would be a good way to liven things up a little.

Well, this morning is the first part of the bottom up portion of the conference. From 8 until 9 there are self-organizing sessions. My wife Kim called to ask if I would go to the session that Common Cause is participating in. It is “Tackling the Big Money Obstacle to a Progressive-Agenda” led by David Donnelly. The problem with big money is not only thwarting a Progressive-Agenda. Pure and simply, it is block democracy and our country is weaker because of it. Yesterday, Lawrence Lessig did a great discussion about the importance of the Fair Elections Now Act and this session is likely to be a good chance to roll up the sleeves and work on this important issue.

Then, as I sat on Bloggers Boulevard in the Exhibition Hall, I ran into Nathan Henderson-James. He will be speaking at “Community Organizing, ACORN, and the Building of a Progressive Agenda”. That should also be a great session. Then, later I ran into Sarah Lane who works for Senator Jeff Merkley. If I remember properly, she said the session ‘Taking Back our Economy’ with Elizabeth Sholes was going to be a really good session.

As much as I would like to get to each of these sessions, I will be doing a session with Kenneth Quinnell on State-Level Blogging. I’m looking forward to the session and hope that enough people get up early and don’t get drawn away by all the other good sessions. Stop by and say hi if you get a chance.