Centerfield

Republicans rose to power by surpressing such infighting and their reward is a conservative SCOTUS. Dems can either learn to work together or become spectators.

I prefer a Centrist Coalition of Moderate Rs and Ds to rise in influence and become the main policy brokers. ie "Nothing will get done unless it is reasonable and fair."

I'm finding the dynamic in the Democratic Party to be disfunctional. Like this "filibuster." If it could have been organized from the beginning, it might have had a chance, but now it's a Hail Mary that's bound to be an embarrassing flop.

The problem is that the establishment group is deciding one strategy, and then the activists come to a boil a few weeks later and push the politicians to the left, but it's too late to be effective. It also makes Democrats look even more like flip-floppers.

Like many issues that would seem to fracture the GOP, such rifts will have minimal harm. In fact they are quite useful in creating the gnashing of teeth, the acquisition of more hammer and tongs, and of course fund-raising.

As far as flip floppers? what flip flop?
Alito is clearly not a centrist or even a conservative centrist a la O'Conner. He's more like Thomas, with brains.
I don't think a filibuster will work, nor do I think that is the ultimate intent. That, I think, is to be able to say "I told you so" when we see decisions that lead to a diminishing of Congress and the laws it passes. And to raise money. Of course.

It does make sense to me that a last minute Filibuster threat is more likely a fundraising stunt. Kerry deserves some credit for spotting the opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade.
As soon as the SCOTUS makes a hard right turn Kerry will look brilliant and principled. If they stay on a moderate course it will not change anyone's perception of Kerry.
I am jealous that the Centrist community doesn't find and seize opportunities to raise our profile in the mind of the voting public.
Standing up for reason isn't very sexy.

A third party will rise from the ashes.

The Whigs?

the Bull Moose Party?

Since ya'll are interested in the intraparty Dem rift...I thought you might find this take from Blue Oregon a worthy read.

A snippet:

We, the activist members of the Democratic Party, have faced this challenge since the day Jefferson and Washington realized they were on very different pages. We will never eliminate this issue because our party covers territory from the far left to the no-longer-moderate-Reagan-right-of-center. We agree on much of great value -- the needs of the working class, education, civil rights, peace is better than war, robber barons is bad for children -- but it's hard to find a position on these issues that directly connects a left coast pinko (like me) with a red state centrist (the stance Hillary seems to be adopting with disconcerting glee). What we have to do, no matter how stupid we think the "other side" is, is remember that the other side is painted red, not blue. Tim Kaine may be a terrible choice for the SotU response -- I agree that John Murtha would be a stronger choice -- but he is a Democrat. And almost every time, a misguided Democrat is superior in almost every way to any Republican.

As a long-time Kerry watcher, my gut tells me that Kerry has taken up the fight late because he wants to establish his bonafides with the more liberal wing of the party, but he doesn't want to do it by fighting a battle he can win.

I was reading a paper by Tyler Cowen the other day, about self-deception and political mechanics. It argued that success in a partisan dynamic lies in finding policies that will enthuse the base without alienating the middle too much. I can't come up with a fer instance, but my vague recollection is that this is not the first time that Kerry has rushed in late to support a lost cause, sweeping up the accolades of one interest group without lots of other people noticing.

I think that's what he's doing here. Who doesn't think 2008 shows Kerry trumpeting "who stood against Samuel Alito" before the most liberal groups but highlighting targeted entrepreneurial incentives to business school grads? Not that he's alone in such practices, it's just that Kerry has always given off one of the more smelly and more constant whiffs of such opportunism. IMO. YMMV.

"So, you're not a REAL Democrat unless you're a Kossack."

Is THAT the conclusion you drew from what Kos said? Is that like the "If you're not with us, you're against" type of logic?

I think what Kos said is rather rational and makes perfect sense. I can appreciate the Left's and much of the Center's concern with Alito. Kos is right. There is nothing "extreme" about expecting elected leaders to mirror the valid conviction of it's base...let alone neutral parties that are concerned.

The disconnect, John, is the assumption that the Kossacks represent the entire party, or anything close. At a time when some of the less ideological are recognizing that the party is not solely the left wing, Kos continues to blow the trumpet, claiming that ONLY the militant left wing is the party. That's as mindless as saying that ONLY the Religious Right God-uber alles ideologues are true Republicans. (See Carla's cite above, for an example of someone who recognizes the big tent/little tent problem.)

This is why the middle is growing. But it does give us things to chuckle over, such as this story.

Tully,

I don't take what Kos said the same way you did in your post.

He said, basically in context, that there is nothing "extreme" about standing up, representing your supporters and opposing Alito and he wishes that the inner Beltway guys would stop acting like it is "extreme" to stand up on conviction.

To me, that's not saying or implying that the Kossacks represent the entire party, though they are a vocal part of the party. And judging by recent polls from Fox, CNN and others, the public is not totally sold on Alito. There are a lot of people opposed and a considerable number who are unsure about whether he should be approved. I think some opposition is in order here.

So, looked at in that context, Kos is simply urging Dems to not aquiesce to things they strongly oppose. It's not just the Left-Wing that opposes Alito.

BTW, Kos isn't as Left as he's made out to be. His views on the issues are quite moderate...particularly on fiscal policy. He's a former republican. What he brings to the table is the urging of a persistence and strength of message to match the GOP. It's all about the horse-race and WINNING it to him. He's no pinko.

As for Sheehan, I felt for her when she first hit the news. But I've become quite disgusted with her antics since then. She's appearing to be quite the opportunist. She's shaping up to be quite an idiot. She's enjoying her fame from her son's death far too much. She'll never beat Feinstein and many people who "support" her will not vote for her either. The fringe group that is her base isn't even Left-wing. It's reactionary.

Context, John? You seem to have added some context that didn't appear--Kos wasn't speaking of Alito and didn't mention Alito. He was speaking of Elmendorf. In context, John, Kos responded to this:

"The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. "The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left."

He responded by calling Elmendorf a "sleazebag amoral lobbyist" and saying:

Here's notice, any Democrat associated with Elmendorf will be outed...There's nothing "extreme left" with demanding Democrats act like Democrats.

Criticize the activist left (and there is no doubt at all that Kos is of the "activist left"--the phrase "extreme left" was his own choosing, not Elmendorf's or mine) and you will be "outed." Disagree with the "netroots" faction, and they will savage you. "My way or the highway."

No need to re-contextualize that at all, John, as it means exactly what it says in the original context. If you don't act like a "Kos Democrat," then to Kos you're not a Democrat at all.