Stephen Burns
I go door to door for Progressive Dane because it's a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak political landscape. At a time when Republicans advance their hard-right agenda step by awful step, and Democrats offer feeble opposition, Progressive Dane shows that progressives can win, and make our city a better place to live in the process.

Nick Berigan
Tell me if this sounds like a political machine to you: A bunch of people who care about issues get together because they think that those issues are important. They argue about things like legislation, tactics, schedules and more. They come to agreement on about 80 percent of their debates. They learn skills that help them work on those issues successfully. They stay up late, go out in the cold to deliver literature to neighborhoods and forgo parts of their lives. They get organized and as a result, have some success in the electoral and issue realm. If this is a machine, so be it. But don't confuse dedication and effectiveness with machinations.

Lukas Diaz
The term "political machine" does not refer to successful campaigning. Instead, it refers to setting up a structure in which patronage is exchanged for votes - essentially, corruption. This is something that even the most hysterical critics of PD do not say.

The term "political machine" does not refer to a grass-roots party that is successful because it only answers to its local membership and the community at large. PD is not dependent on large donors or special interests; we are a community party. I have a feeling this is something that would make Robert M. La Follette smile.