Meh. A real Democrat is anyone who votes, works, or volunteers for Democrats. A colleague of mine told me Joe Lieberman wasn't a real Democrat. I mean, he'sonly been a Senator for 16 years, I guess his bonafides should be in question.

It ain't about LEFT or RIGHT, its about power and money...and anyone thinking anything less lives in a dream world. If you think FDR, LBJ or Scoop Jackson would recognize this ZZZ-Grade "Party" or support punk ass bustas like Pelosi or Reid, think again.

Read David Brooks' column from monday for a primer on why going left to win a majority just ain't gonna happen.

I would vote for a Krylon Democrat. And I support Chad's message.

I'm registered Democrat, but don't really vote that way outside of local elections. I've got a Republican Governor I like, a Republican Congressman I like and a Republican State Delagate [one of three] I like. Other than that, I don't have many Republicans I'm too head up about.

But probably zero Democrats. It's not because of the letter next to their name on the ballot, but they inspire no enthusiasm. I respect and admire Senator Barbara Mikulski's unapologetic adherence to her ideas and values, but we don't dance politically, so she doesn't get my vote. Senator Sarbanes? Puhleeaze.

This is when you sack up, man. Figure out why the right just plays the game SO MUCH BETTER than the left and start beating them at their own game. 'Cuz that's what it is; a national prom king contest disguised as a year-long idealogical discourse. The right has been adept at IDing the social issues that can draw people to their side and exploiting them like a clothing manager in an immigrant-packed speedbox. There's a reason the left lost the election to a president for whom the term "underperforming" is a compliment - because the right goes after it with guns drawn and throws the rulebook of civil debate out the window while left has become alarmingly good at losing with honor.

The left's best hope, as I see it, is to bang on the issue of the squeezing of the middle and working class and make those folks realize how they're getting fucked over by loss of jobs, disproportionate tax cuts that favor the wealthy, the proposed privatization of Social Security, decreased education funding, the prosecuting of a war with military ranks bolstered mostly by the lower classes...

There's a buffet of issues here. And they dropped the ball on every one.