When I saw the headline New Coalition Aims To Keep Dems In Check I wasn’t sure what to think. Would this be a right-leaning organization designed to keep us from going off a left cliff, or was it, well, the good guys?

Markos put my mind at ease in this front page post:

They Work For Us is led by Steve Rosenthal, former labor organizer and head of ACT. Its members include SEIU, the United Steelworkers, MoveOn, the American Association for Justice (formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association), and this little ol’ website (I’m on the board).

More on They Work For Us over the flip…

They Work For Us was formed to hold Democrats who don’t heed the message voters sent on November 7 accountable.

What message is that? One of economic populism. Look at the issues of greatest concern to the organization:

– a living wage for all workers
– more domestic jobs
– retirement security
– sound corporate governance
– access to affordable health care
– keeping jobs here instead of shipping them overseas

And how will those that stray be held accountable?

Democrats who don’t hew to this agenda could find themselves facing well-funded primary opponents _ an aggressive strategy to counter moderate and conservative blocs within the party.

And lookie here who’s first on their list of targets:

#1. Ellen Tauscher, CA
Throughout her congressional career, Ellen Tauscher has accepted more than $2 million in campaign contributions from business PACs and has voted for reforms that strip the rights of consumers in favor of big business, including voting to reform the country’s bankruptcy laws in favor of banks and credit card companies and restricting access to the courts.

As Markos says, this new coalition demonstrates just how mature our movement has gotten. Glad we have them on our side in the Tauscher fight.