The conversational landscape of healthcare online has transformed rapidly. New tools and platforms are transforming the ability of a wide spectrum of parties including healthcare providers, patients, consumers, policymakers and experts to connect to talk about solutions to their healthcare challenges. Experts on the frontier will share the new healthcare trends and share their thoughts on the
potential applications and implications for the future of American healthcare.

All the pieces are falling into place for a big Obama victory and bigger Democratic margins in Congress. The missing pieces are the big ideas and transformative agenda that is commensurate to the range of 21st century challenges that we all know well. Certainly the big ideas are out there, the potential solutions are emerging across America, but they have yet to move into the political discourse of Washington. How can we create a new kind of infrastructure to deliver networked knowledge into the next Washington? All hands on deck.

Members of Netroots for the Troops will lead attendees in creating care packages after a brief seminar on how to compose them. Netroots for the Troops is a coalition of members from the I Got the News Today (IGTNT) and Mojo Friday communities at dailykos.com. The goal of this event is to create care packages to send to American troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan; to raise awareness of the actual needs in the field for everyday items that we take for granted; and to show America one creative and positive way in which progressive bloggers support our troops.

The panel discusses "violent rhetoric" in contemporary politics: What is it? What problems does it cause? How does it undermine media, elections and policy? How can progressives work together to move U.S. national debate past it? The goal is to bridge the divide between theory and practice and to build a forward-looking discussion. This panel is of value to those looking for innovative ways to drive the political debate and articulate effective policy.

Massive telecom companies control virtually all of our voice and internet communications these days—and new evidence shows a near-total lack of commitment to our democracy. AT&T has proposed filtering all content traveling on its network. Verizon tried initially to block NARAL's pro-choice text messages. Most telecom companies are fighting net neutrality. Can democracy survive an assault by those who control the tubes?

This session aims to share tactics that broaden the discussion of sexual and reproductive health issues both in the progressive blogosphere and in the mainstream media. In order to better connect feminist bloggers and reproductive health advocates to the media, panelists will discuss fresh, more accurate and comprehensive frames through which to report reproductive rights news, including incorporating voices of women of color, men, mothers and LGBT individuals. Participants will brainstorm useful communications mechanisms for bloggers and writers reporting on reproductive rights, and connect those bloggers to the policy and demographic research produced by reproductive rights organizations.

House and Senate campaign handicappers from Daily Kos, MyDD and Swing State project put their heads together to talk about the most important races around the country in 2008—and the possibility of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and an even stronger majority in the House.

We will demonstrate new Web tools that help citizens keep track of politics in Washington and in their own states. These Web tools provide a new way to look at lobbying influence, campaign contributions, legislative data, government documents and how all these points of interest intersect. Bloggers and citizens alike can learn how to use these tools from the creators themselves and gain new skills to help them do their own investigative research and reporting.

This panel will explore how the progressive populist uprising in which the Netroots plays such a central role is fighting the right at the state level. This state-level battle is a major focus of David Sirota's new book "The Uprising," which chronicles how progressives in the Montana legislature are taking on some of the most powerful bastions of the conservative coalition and winning. It is also the reason why the Progressive States Network exists. The panel will use real-world case-studies to show how state legislatures are some of the most important arenas in which the progressive uprising is unfolding.

The Bush years have been ones of great disappointment for America. Mistakes have been made, great challenges have gone unaddressed. In a world that has seen the rise of nations like China, India, Brazil and Mexico and the emergence of a powerful, global communications network, the next President will have to restore America's standing in the world, tackle climate change, help to move the world to a post-carbon economy, work to alleviate global poverty, as well as address ongoing geopolitical challenges. We'll hear from a panel of thoughtful leaders discuss what kind of global strategy the next President may pursue.

This workshop will discuss how bloggers can support and organize around the efforts of environmental justice activists, union leaders and city government officials to help create a new green economy.

Primaries closed or open? Caucuses? Superdelegates? The 2008 Democratic nominating process had everything. Is there a better way? Did the Michigan and Florida primaries finally begin to change the system? This panel will discuss the different aspects of the process from timing to structure. We'll cover the always-contentious issue on which states should go first to how the states conduct their primaries and caucuses. And what role, if any, should superdelegates play in 2012?

With under-funded federal agencies in the incapable hands of political appointees, New Orleanians had to organize and fund their own recovery. In the vacuum of government, New Orleanians have formed increasingly sophisticated grassroots and neighborhood organizations. Neighborhood organizations that engage in urban planning, provide social services, partner with foundations, universities and Fortune 500s to create the institutions that civil society needs to function. This is not a story of the invisible hand of the marketplace, but the hands-on work of tens of thousands citizens and volunteers, working together in the largest grassroots campaign in the history of the United States.

Join in one of these ad-hoc sessions that originated from Rootscamp (or organize your own). Check out the details on how a self organizing session works here (.pdf 155KB).

Join in one of these ad-hoc sessions that originated from Rootscamp (or organize your own). Check out the details on how a self organizing session works here (.pdf 155KB).

From illegal detention policies to outsourcing torture and mercenaries, the Bush administration has worked systematically over the last seven years to violate U.S. and international law. Legal advocates and journalists have uncovered the facts and identified those responsible. So what will accountability look like? What must the courts and the next administration do in its first 100 days to make things right?

“Liberalism is, I think, resurgent,” John Kenneth Galbraith once said. “The reason is so many people are aware of the alternative.” Among the many forces contributing to a progressive resurgence is the simple realities of the situation: the underlying facts of the economy, of the health system, of our financial system demand a return of communally guaranteed security, rather than continued increases in risk. To understand this shift in the underlying dynamics, and how far it’s gone, is to take a very different view of what’s possible for progressives in the coming years.

A screening of shorts produced by Live Earth on climate change, sustainability and taking action to save our planet. Discussion will accompany the screening.

This engaging presentation makes the argument on how politics is changing in America today, and offers ideas and strategies for how progressives can replicate our 20th century success in this new and dynamic century. This “New Politics” presentation, newly updated for dramatic events of 2008, has been seen at many important meets across the country in recent months, including the DNC Executive Directors Meeting, the Democratic House Caucus, meetings of key staffers on the Hill and on the Google campus.

There is nothing on the left corresponding to the politically dynamic religious right. But there are some promising elements with the potential to become greater than the sum of their parts. This panel seeks to address what's going on and what should happen next. We will discuss how common approaches to electoral politics can be found and practiced in a way that respects the unique character of progressive faith.

Engaging young voters requires meeting them where they gather and hang out. Today, that means online—on social networks like Facebook and through open sharing platforms like YouTube. But online engagement isn't enough. A campaign that can't move its supporters offline looks like the failed Ron Paul Revolution. Those who can—like Senator Obama—will reap the rewards. This panel will explore best practices to mobilize youth by moving online engagement offline.

This is an exciting moment for progressive politics. Yet there is no clear road-map for connecting progressive cause organizations and Netizens through a coordinated plan that could provide real support for major political changes. In this workshop, we'll brainstorm with partners from the blogosphere about strategies for non-profits and for bloggers to better connect around shared policy goals.

Join in one of these ad-hoc sessions that originated from Rootscamp (or organize your own). Check out the details on how a self organizing session works here (.pdf 155KB).

Join in one of these ad-hoc sessions that originated from Rootscamp (or organize your own). Check out the details on how a self organizing session works here (.pdf 155KB).

Come join mindoca from Daily Kos for a fun, informative, interactive workshop on the most effective voter mobilization vehicles available to electoral campaigns at every level.

We'll discuss exactly how canvassing and phonebanking fit into campaign strategy, identify different types of canvassing and phonebanking, examine the critical relationship between field operations and volunteers, and provide concrete and creative tips on how to be the best canvasser and phonebanker possible—and bring in votes for your candidate.

Please bring a cell phone and come prepared to share your anxieties, disdain, fears, concerns and questions about canvassing and phonebanking.