Over at Beliefnet you can receive daily emails containing scripture readings and words of wisdom (WoW) for the day. I was struck by yesterday's Jewish WoW: "False ideals cannot be shattered by criticism. Right ideals must take up the battle against them."

I never voted for Clinton, but I was always struck by his "reinventing government" campaign. Unfortunately, his extracurricular activities hindered the progress he had made and disrupted the trajectory of this idea. I believe this is the key front in the progressive cause. Government should be a source of good, not bad or even burdensome. Responsible government doesn't have to be the solution to everything, but it should be the champion of our values as a society. And in many instances it does champion my values.

Howard Dean my want to "take back the country", but I don't want a war. I just want to be able to believe in my country again. I want to be able to believe that my government is a source of good in the world and in people's lives. But this begins by giving people reason to support government, or reminding them why it's good. In other words, we need to reinvent government again...for OUR future.