Repubs contract, become more conservative. To attract exiles, Dems become more conservative.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

So that both parties are moving rightward ideologically while the country itelf is moving leftward. Liberals and Progressives are truly screwed - although they may make up a majority of the actual population, they have no major Party speaking for them or promoting their viewpoints.

This is how I am starting to see this shake out.

[frog92969]

1. True

But Liberals and Progressives are only screwed as long as they see no options.
There IS an option, and if we work together we can have a representative government.

[Zodiak]

2. Yes, it is a complaint that few utter here

But both parties are red-shifted far and away from their constituencies.

And no one seems to bat an eye that the left has no voice, even in their own party.

And the left is where ALL of the good ideas have come from lately.

[izquierdista]

3. Not just lately

The 8 hour workday, vastly reduced child labor, minimum wage, equality in voting; the good ideas have been coming from the left for a LONG time.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. Agreed, and they still are.

Single Payer would be beneficial for the entire country, the deficit, etc. But everyone who espouses an ideal like that will be marginalized as a left wing kook or radical even if a large percentage of the country agrees, because, as I said in the OP no one speaks for us.

[madfloridian]

5. The party leaders are heading sharp right while the public is going left.

You are very right.

We are screwn.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. The parties are right, the media is right but still the people move left

Health reform will either work or cause a GIGANTIC SCHISM in the party, I think.

[madfloridian]

7. I think it might well be true.

We just keep putting off the change.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. Remember when Repubs were the party of business and the Dems

were the party of the people? It USED to be just that clear. Blue collar, unions, civil rights, socially liberal attitudes all used to be the hallmarks of the Dems. No more. We now have 2 parties representing the interest of Big Business. No where is this more evident than in the health debates going on now.