Worried about Democratic congressional prospects this fall, twenty prominent Democrats sent an open letter to the Democratic Congressional leadership urging that they “get back on offense” by exposing the GOP as “more extreme than mainstream” and proposing a “positive program of progressive patriotism.”

The letter went to ten party leaders including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and DCCC chair Steve Israel.

The letter was signed by, among others, Norman Lear, Robert Reich, Jennifer Granholm, Eliot Spitzer, David Dinkins, Gary Hart, Ron Reagan and James Galbraith.

“We think it’s crazy that reactionary Republicans can pretend to save the damsel in distress when they tied her to the tracks in the first place,” said letter organizing Mark Green. “Instead of only responding to the river of lies flowing out of Tampa, aggressive progressives need to fundamentally reframe the choices and offer a positive vision that can help congressional Democrats both win and govern.”

“We know the Republican political slogan – free markets, not big government,” the Democrats wrote to their leaders. “What’s the Democratic big idea? Not quite as much government? Split the difference with an extreme GOP position? If you asked 10 people on the street what each party stood for, most could answer for the Republicans but not the Democrats.”

“Party leaders need to declare that the issue in 2012 isn’t the size of government but our common purpose — democracy, prosperity and security. In America, you can’t love your country and hate your government since we are the government, as the Oklahoma City bombing made fleetingly obvious. Yes the issue is freedom — freedom from e coli bacteria and from health care bills that bankrupt families.”

“With Romney-Ryan’s unpopular views on tax cuts for the wealthy and ‘VoucherCare’ for the elderly, now’s the perfect time to frame this election as between John Galt and Modern Family – the 1% who believe ‘we’re all in this alone’ — Senator Durbin’s phrase — versus ‘everyone’s better off when everyone’s better off.’ With reactionaries dominating the policy, language and financing of the GOP, the best way Democrats can win is to hit the gas not the brakes.”