This is what Obama's critics on the left fail to understand, notably the usually invaluable Paul Krugman. Talk of unity and bridge-building may be a sign of weakness in the zero-sum game of ordinary politics. In the politics of realignment, when you can make the words do something, it is the mark of strength. New voters are entering the process and decent, generous people who have thought of themselves as conservatives since Reagan, or longer, are wondering whether it is time to identify with something new. -JP
No one is worried about the party getting bigger (especially if the base is expanding), are they?
They are worried about the ideology and direction of the party - the political platform, if you will, and its viability in the upcoming years.
Re-read Krugman (I've reached the same conclusions, without even having read this piece of his). Jedediah can have his big election party, but as PK notices, what's next?
A candidate with wishy-washy proposals who has suddenly become very popular? Well, it's a ride into the danger zone, at a minimum.
Hey, if the next generation of progressives want him and think he's somehow more effective than one of the most skilled in the post-war era, it's their risk, for the most part, on what healthcare and social programs will be available to them in America down the road, so ... By the way, the margin for error on this stuff? Near zero. (It's been nearly 15 years since there has been a chance to do something on health care, just to give an idea of the time lines involved ...)
