Is it?
Are the Democrats moving a bit too far to the left? What do you think?
I think it depends on the particular Democrat. Harold Ford, Jr., for example, is running a campaign as a conservative. Remember folks, party over ideals. Unless you’re a neo-liberatarian.
And, are the Republicans becoming more centrist?
August 17th, 2006 at 8:52 am
I think both parties pander to the middle to try to get those “swing voters”. The result is one team with two jerseys.
August 17th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
The tradition is that Democrats swing left for the primary and then to the center for the general election. Same holds for Republicans (who swing right then to the center).
Every politician is not an automaton. They have many votes and positions that taken by themselves could be seen as far left or far right. It comes down to what you want to highlight. In a Dem primary, a candidate might highlight positions that show them to be left wing, while their opponents will highlight positions that make them seem right wing. Same but opposite for Republican candidates.
August 17th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
As in nature, politics abhorrs a vacuum. If the Dems move to the left, the Repubs will move leftward also. This is why I’d rather see Liebermann win over Lamont. The sooner the Dems move back to JFK, the sooner the Reps can move back to Reagan.