The Repubs eat their own whenever they show weakness...

[kentuck]

and do not vote the straight right-wing Party line. For example, look at Voinivich. The right-wingers are already attacking him for not falling in line on the Bolten nomination. If you think the Democrats in Congress are living in fear, then the Republicans are totally horrified.

[sui generis]

1. eating one's own is not a good propagation strategy

I think we should encourage them to do it as often as possible.

[SteppingRazor]

2. It's kinda strange

Democrats are constantly disagreeing over every piddly little issue. But at the end of the day, we're all still Democrats. Republicans are in lockstep, but if one disagrees, he gets annihilated.
Yet another way in which the two parties are practically black and white.

And here's another way -- when a Democrat breaks sides and votes with Republicans, he doesn't get metaphorically disemboweled in attack ads.