Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee and former governor of Virginia, has announced the next phase in the Democratic party's plan to hold on to Congress in 2010. It is called OurCase. Here's the problem as Governor Kaine sees it:

Now Republicans are scheming to win back Congress. With a majority, they'll do everything they can to reverse the progress Democrats have made. They'll turn back the clock on behalf of their special interest friends, their big donors, and the extreme right-wing elements that have taken over their party.

We must always be cautious of working on behalf of special interests. There should be some system to ensure that elected officials work only on behalf of everyone. Maybe we should put something in writing to the effect of “promote the general welfare.” Luckily we don't have to worry about the Democratic party working on behalf of special interests, especially not the public sector union, the SEIU. Notice how a full 3% of SEIU contributions went to Republicans in 2008. They are clearly interested in open and honest debate.

So who are the Republicans' big donors, hedge fund managers like Jim Simons perhaps? Perhaps not. It looks like Mr. Simons gave his entire $94,100 in donations in the last year to Democrats, as was the general practice for the rest of the five most generous hedge fund managers in the past year.

Notice how scary it is that extreme right-wing elements have taken over the Republican party compared to the rational, clear-thinking leaders of the Democratic party: Obama, Reid, and Pelosi. Actually the Republican leadership is probably quite concerned about this trend in the party as one establishment Republican after another falls to the latest bogeyman: the Tea Party. Establishment types like Norton in Colorado, Murkowski in Alaska,  Crist in Florida, and don't ever mention Sharron Angle in polite company; it would be too horrible. The list goes on, of course, and recall that Crist did not merely lose the primary, he was forced out of the party. It is yet to be determined how any of the scary right-wing extremists who replaced the moderate, pliable Republicans will fare in the elections, but fear of right-wing extremists is probably something leadership in both parties have in common just now.

Mr. Kaine's letter lists the important things that must never be touched or questioned, but would surely be utterly disintegrated by this right-wing cadre that may take over soon: health insurance reform, consumer protections, the United Nations, the Department of Education, unemployment benefits, Social Security, and civil rights. That's right. These extremist Republicans want to drive this great nation back to the age of empires, pirates, and outdoor plumbing.

But what is the plan? How will the Democrats save America from big-donor funded right-wing extremists beholden to special interests?

OurCase.

Details are sketchy, but it seems that OurCase will be a door-to-door campaign to reach out and touch potential voters.

So if some well-groomed, smiling young person comes knocking on your door in the next few weeks, there's a chance that they are not Jehovah's Witnesses or Kirby vacuum cleaner salespeople. They may be foot soldiers in operation OurCase. This operation is so important that Mr. Kaine announced it on The Daily Show as well as by e-mail.

For just $5 you can help.

My advice? Ignore the help link above. Study the list. Be prepared for an intelligent discussion.