"Bipartisan" as seen by movement conservatives

Digby not only cautions on the LieberBloomer "meet in the middle" approach but also delivers up a great reminder of the Right handled initially widely supported health care reforms proposed in those early days of the Clenis. William Kristol's marching orders to the GOP had slipped my mind. Thanks for reminding me/us Digby.

Digby writes

The LieberBloomer party insists that the only way to get anything done is to reach across the aisle. Back in the day, when the two parties were regionally and ideologically diverse, (and the conservative movement wasn't completely insane) that was certainly true. But it hasn't been that way for a long time now. The new political terrain is to either rule like Republicans, which requires a servile press and mountains of money to spin your undemocratic, plutocratic, imperialism as "boldness", "strength" and "resolve" (which will never be said of Democrats) or you get a specific, detailed mandate from the people and then gather enough legitimate democratic power to enact it. ...

... The country is back to its original equilibrium --- which was always politically at odds.That's America. We've been fighting from the beginning. The good news is that the progressives may be coming back into dominance, which means it's possible for Democrats to actually enact progressive legislation rather than simply stop the bleeding --- if they're willing to take the heat. I think the American people will be with them if the politicians listen to what it is they really want, lay out a program to make it so and then pass their agenda even as the villagers shriek and howl about "partisanship."

Amen! "Backbone", as demonstrated by Russ Feingold for example, counts for way more than building some fantasy of cooperation, especially with movement conservatism still representing much of the GOP's foundation. The American people want results. "Mandate" might be too strong ... yet. However, with the possible economic meltdown and the like looming some might be around the corner. To "make it so" is possible. And we can't get punk'd again.

Finally , the spawning of the Breaux-Lott Leadership Group ties in nicely with the fantasy of unity. The fatcats are perhaps counting on "unity" to hold on to their gains during Bu$hCo's Reign of Error? P/W