With the formation of Organizing for America, President Obama has taken another step toward the restoration of real participatory democracy in our country.

As many of you who have suffered through my comments are aware, I believe this may be the boldest and most important initiative undertaken by the Administration. As he did during his campaign, Barack is presenting a compelling alternative to special interest politics.

It is us.

This is a welcome change from the business as usual that has hijacked our politics and stripped citizens of their right -- and responsibility -- to participate meaningfully in government beyond the local level. 

Realizing this central promise of democracy has always been a challenge. But that challenge has elevated to crisis as business groups and other special interests have marshalled seemingly endless resources to buy power and influence in the White House, on Capitol Hill and in state houses across the country. For a thorough and comfortably left-leaning analysis of this corrosive trend I suggest William Greider's Who Will Tell the People.

Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.

Reagan's first inaugural address was a rhetorical tipping point that began the modern attack on our cherished principle of government by and for the people. Along with the Republicans' 1994 Contract with America, it accelerated the erosion of American democracy by identifying The Government as an obstructionist entity divorced from its citizens and implacably opposed to their desires.

There was an element of truth to this. But real reforms that would have increased accountability and transparency never made it into law. Instead, Republicans mounted an aggressive ideological assault that reduced government to simplest terms: taxes, regulation and entitlements.

This reductio ad absurdum has encouraged legions of individuals to run for government by running against it. Instead of stimulating a robust debate on priorities and vision, it has spawned mindless promises to cut taxes and end "handouts." Instead of giving citizens a true voice in the affairs of the nation, it has further consolidated political power with corporations and monied interests.

Instead of strengthening our society and enriching our public discourse it has spawned a mutant individualism, in which personal self-interest always trumps the common good.   Rampant consumerism, greed and the mindless pursuit of short-term gain have corroded our social and physical infrastructure, assaulted our environment and diminished opportunity for hundreds of millions of Americans.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

Capitalizing on the power of the Internet and a remarkable ability to reach, inspire and mobilize ordinary citizens, Barack Obama revolutionized campaigning and made an explicit promise to again make government bend to the will of the people. During his transition and within days of assuming office, he has begun to make good on that promise.

Now it is up to us.