The current National Journal has a fascinating analysis by Ronald Brownstein on the "[the] rise of a mass Democratic Internet fundraising and activist base." According to Brownstein, "the thousands of partisans venting daily on left-leaning Web logs like Daily Kos and MyDD.com...[are] beginning to shift the balance of power in the Democratic Party away from the "Third Way" moderation that Clinton and his "New Democrat" movement promoted."
Brownstein continues:
Centrist organizations such as the Democratic Leadership Council have produced nothing like the massive lists of activists and donors that liberals have assembled through the Internet. And that mass liberal base is pushing the party partly toward more-liberal positions, but even more so toward greater confrontation with Bush -- and increasing pressure on Democrats who consider cooperating with him in any way....the Internet has mostly strengthened the wing of the Democratic Party that feeds on polarization and conflict.
Indeed, the Internet is fast becoming the confrontation caucus in the Democratic Party. Defiance of Bush is almost instantly rewarded with a torrent of praise on liberal blogs and often with fundraising or other assistance from the blogs and groups like MoveOn...
...almost all gestures toward collaboration with Bush provoke condemnation and outrage.
...the Internet base is playing the same role in the Democratic Party that conservative economic and social groups (like the Club for Growth or Focus on the Family) play in the GOP. Both are increasing demands for ideological consistency and partisan loyalty. And both are becoming more influential as the country grows more deeply polarized over Bush's aggressively conservative agenda, and over the fervent Democratic opposition to almost all of it.
...both [Markos Moulitsas Zuniga of DailyKos and Eli Pariser of MoveOn.org, want a party of warriors who will link arms to resist Bush's principal initiatives, especially the restructuring of Social Security....In the long run, both want Democrats to move away from the Clinton model of courting swing voters through "Third Way" moderation and turn instead toward a Bush approach that tries to build a majority mostly by inspiring a large turnout from its base with an unapologetically polarizing agenda.
So where does this leave us at this point? Is there room in a party of MoveOn's and DailyKos'es for moderate and conservative Democrats like Tim Kaine and Mark Warner? Is the "warrior" way the path to victory for Democrats? What about national unity and cohesion in an era when moderates on both sides - Joe Lieberman or John Warner - are condemned by their respective activist bases for being willing to compromise? What about the "mainstream media" in an era where fact and opinion are become increasing blurred?
I don't have the answers to these questions, and I certainly don't mean to denigrate internet activists. If for no other reason, I happen to be one of 'em! :) Still, the moderate side of my progressive/moderate political philosophy, not to mention my feelings of patriotism for the United States of America, have me a bit concerned that this polarization could get out of hand.
Democrat that I am, of course, I overwhelmingly fault the Right Wing for creating this sad state of affairs. Specifically, I blame a President who campaigned in 2000 as "a uniter not a divider" for our country. Instead, George W. Bush turned out to be a "uniter" only for the Republican Party, and a "divider" for everyone else. The war in Iraq has been a huge part of this trend, of course, but it's also been the general lack of respect for political opposition, democracy, dissent, separation of powers, rule of law, and "checks and balances" over the past five years. Given all that, I can't criticize Democrats for wanting to fight back, and fight back hard.
Still, I worry about where all this is leading my party and my country. Bill Clinton, for all his faults, was a moderate "Third Way" Democrat who managed to do a great deal of good for America. He was also the first Democrat to serve two full terms as President since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Perhaps Clinton was sui generis, or perhaps times have changed since 9/11. But, before Democrats and Republicans retreat behind their heavily-fortified battle lines into all-out warfare, I would urge that moderation and compromise - dirty words among many partisans and bloggers these days, but a large part of what's made America great over the years - would be given at least one more try.