Mark Shields, an admitted Liberal, is calling into question the concept of the 'Big Tent' for the Democrats. Since FDR, the Democrats have touted the concept that they are all inclusive and the Republicans are an exclusive elitist sect.
Yet since the 70s, the exact opposite has been true, yet the myth, at least among the democrats, has persisted. They are the magnanimous ones, the republicans are the exlusive party of the rich fat cats.
Yet, what is apparent to all non-democrats, the exact opposite is true. The republicans, wandering in the political wilderness for most of the past 70 years, learned. And they learned well. So well that they Republicans are now the 'Big Tent' party, and the Democrats are the ones of the exclusives. Not Fat cats (George Soros excepted), but of the sniping minority special interests that dictate their agenda time and time again.
So many times, a democrat will be elected to congress on a wide platform. Promising to be the people's person. And then they get sucked in by the corruption and deceit of the democrat leadership and become mouth Pieces to the Special Interests. We have 4 blaring examples that can easily be pointed to and shown to succumb to that syndrome today. Tom Daschle, Harry Reid, Dick Gebhardt and Jim Wright.
Yet they cant understand why their constituents look at them and then boot them out (or soon will). And they dont have a clue why?
Why? because you promised your voters one thing and then betrayed them! And you still dont understand that.
Oh, Sure it happens on the republican side as well. But then the 'power' does not corrupt all of them. Indeed, while Republicans are supposed to be the party of "pro Life", and "Gun Control", they featured members of their party that held views contrary to those stereotypes.
Did the Democrats allow one of their stars to speak at their convention? No, Bob Casey was denied that priveledge because he did not toe the party line.
One Democrat has seen that hypocrisy, and has finally admitted it. Will the rest of the democrats finally figure out what is wrong with them? From their posturing and pontificating after 2 Presidential losses and 3 congressional losses, they still are trying to figure out how to get their 'message' out.
it is out, and it is non inclusive, and that is why you are losing.
Should republicans be afraid that one of the democrats have finally figured out the truth? No. But if the trickle becomes a tide, we may just have a real 2 party system once again.
We can hope, or we can look forward to when the Republicans split into Libertarians and Governmentalist.
That decision is in the hands of the Democrat leaders. And this batch will never know the truth. Maybe the next Generation will.