Reply #88: Like the Republicans, the Democrats seem to be seeking how little they can give us and remain in...

[Ozymanithrax]

power.

Though they had all three branches, the Repubicans did not deliver on the big ticket items, a ban on abortion/constitutional ammendment. They did not deliver in any meaningful way on any of the culture war demands. This is a trend that goes back at least to Reagan, run on red meat items but give followers soyburger. Bring out the red meat to get them to the polls.

It hasn't always been this way. Presidents have tried to do big things. LBJ's great society was a noble attempt. FDR, out of necessity, very much changed the US. Not since LBJ has any President on either side really tried to deliver a huge agenda. They all bring out those big ideas at election time.

The question I have, is Obama attempting to do something big and spectacular or just trying to give the base enough to keep them hungry. If it is the later, what effect will that have on progressives who came out for him in a big way. That depends on how stupid we are.

At this point, I don't think the Democratic Party will splinter. Since the Whigs made themselves obsolete, the laws in each state has been written to ensure the survival of just two parties. Our winner take all system keeps everybody but the big two from competing. The progressives may sit an election out but where are they going to go? So the Democratic Party of the United States may find itself smaller, but it won't go away.

And, at this point, I will even predict that the Republican party will stay. The Party of No has actually converted itself to a form of oppositon party that wins as long as it doesn't loose. It will hook into discontent and move back into power. Like the predicitons after the 1994 midterms that the Democratic party was goind to die, the reports of the Republican Parties demise are premature. RAther tha Whigh out they will cling to discontent, and take use it to get back in power.