Reply #5: Agreed, although it seems to be a DU tradition to characterize those with whom one doesn't agree,

[pampango]

as anything other than a progressive who happens to have a different opinion on a particular public policy or political strategy.

Personally, I think the "strange bedfellows" argument is valid as far as discussing political strategy, since it is useful to understand what the repubs are up to as we discuss a progressive strategy to achieve our goals. But the "strange bedfellows" argument shouldn't be taken so far as to equate progressive DU'ers with republicans or, as you say, the far left with the far right.