One study explains why it’s tough to pass liberal laws

[Chathamization]

47. If you live in DC I can help

You're absolutely right, one of the big problems is that a lot of people aren't being engaged. Unfortunately, I don't know of any place that serves as a nexus for progressive activism. A lot is happening with local groups, but that's only if you're lucky enough to have good active ones in your area, tracking them down isn't always easy. Your best bet would probably be meetup.com or Facebook. Also, if you see people collecting signatures for a progressive ballot initiative or progressive candidate talk to them, they may be able to connect you with organizers.

Another problem is that most of the people that have a large audience don't seem to care a lot about doing anything. Look at the top blogs on the left, and see how many posts are spent laughing at Republicans or telling Democratic politicians what they should be doing. Compare those posts with how many posts there are telling people how to get involved in local issues, writing about their personal organizing efforts, or promoting progressive initiatives.