Evaluate our Think Tank

I posed these questions, and Susan Michael wrote these replies.
1. What has Living-room Think Tank done for you?
It has been both fun and informative. I really love getting together with like-minded people to discuss freely what we should do about the state we are in as progressives and strategize game plans.
2. What is the purpose of this group? I feel the purpose of this group is to share ideas, formulate responses for when we encounter people outside the group and stimulate thinking. I would like to add action as a result of our thinking.
3. Do you like the format? I like the format, particularly when we write our discussion points on a poster board to be used as a basis for action.
4. What topics would you like us to discuss? I have enjoyed the topics. A topic I would like to discuss is what are good strategies for toppling this regime. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming for me. Every area I look the Bush Administration is dismantling and I don’t know where to begin. I guess I feel we need to focus on the bigger picture and where we could get the most people rallied and awakened. I think if we were to start tackling the budget crisis or the war and consider how we can bring this to the foreground that could bring more attention from more sources. I think about how Code Pink explained at the Progressive Democrats Summit in January, they were planning a rally in Fayetteville, NC along with other states and now it is a few weeks away. I am amazed at how much it has grown from January. I guess I think we need to keep the ‘frame’ large so as many people can umbrella underneath it. I would really like to think of big issues we can take on and maybe brainstorm how we can start creating a buzz around them.
Lastly, I am trying to figure out how some groups can converge into one. For it seems several of the groups I am involved with are at a similar place, they start with a lot of enthusiasm and after awhile the momentum fades. I just don’t want that to happen with this group. I feel it is too valuable and too important. The issues are looming too big over all of us and it helps to feel there is a force locally trying to do something.
5. If you have read "Don't Think of an Elephant", do you think we are learning to reframe political topics from a progressive view? I think reframing using a bigger picture is where I would like to go with it.