FUCK THE POLICE
08-23-2009, 08:33 PM
Half the Republican caucus in the senate used to be moderate. Now there are two. I heard there was still a single moderate R in the house. Can't remember who it was. This is down from five moderate R's and a handful of moderates in the house; every new election seems to shake more and more out.
On the Democratic side, there are about six moderate senators. We also have the Blue Dogs, and at fifty that's significantly more than the one moderate in the house. But fifty moderates is significantly different than the seventy or so conservatives the used to form a Democratic base.
Of course, the weakness of liberalism in America leaves the Democrats having to form as more of a liberal-moderate coalition than the Republicans solidified conservative base. If you had only the 50% most liberal Democrats governing I'm sure you'd get significantly different policy changes; if you had only the 50% most conservative Republicans governing I doubt you'd notice any difference at all.
But the moderate politician in America isn't really dying; it's dead.
On the Democratic side, there are about six moderate senators. We also have the Blue Dogs, and at fifty that's significantly more than the one moderate in the house. But fifty moderates is significantly different than the seventy or so conservatives the used to form a Democratic base.
Of course, the weakness of liberalism in America leaves the Democrats having to form as more of a liberal-moderate coalition than the Republicans solidified conservative base. If you had only the 50% most liberal Democrats governing I'm sure you'd get significantly different policy changes; if you had only the 50% most conservative Republicans governing I doubt you'd notice any difference at all.
But the moderate politician in America isn't really dying; it's dead.