Saturday, the Democratic Party unveiled the draft of its 2008 platform. Many skeptics would point out that platforms have been constructed and ignored election after election, and they may be right, but if the theme of this election is 'change,' then this could be the year the platform gains significance. The political will is there: Americans are tired of the lack of accountability over where their tax dollars go, they're tired of the Bush administration side-stepping the Constitution and checks and balances, and they're tired of the White House telling its officials to ignore Congressional subpoenas.

Yes, platforms sometimes are ignored, but the will of the voters can't be ignored. Especially before an election. Two things that the voters want are: 1.) our troops to be withdrawn from Iraq on a responsible timeline, and 2.) affordable health care for all. The Democrats have included these issues in the draft, but it's our responsibility to remind them not to back off or compromise. We need to send a loud message that there is strong support among progressive bases for both getting our troops out of Iraq and achieving universal health care.

Want a powerful way and even more incentive to make your voice heard? Try out this Invest in US Calculator, and you'll see how much of the war your tax dollars funded -- and the exact impact those dollars could have made on health care, renewable energy, education or benefits for our veterans.

But it's also important that you sign the Invest in US Petition. Progressive Future is taking the petition far and wide, to the media, to Congress, to the Party Platform Committees and beyond, and showing our leaders just how strong the call to enact some serious change is. If there is one thing to learn from Bush's reign, nothing is in the bag, so the time to act is now.