I don't recognize anything I said there. I think it's too one-dimensional to describe the new Democrats as "conservative".

What we have here is clearly a matter of perception. Republicans used to crow that they'd dragged the country to the right, so, to take them at face value, it's just as likely the country moved back to the center. That's my take on it, as much repudiation of that swing to the right as approval of the Democratic alternative.

It strikes me as a bit bizarre that, in essence, you're claiming that Republicans still have a mandate after getting their asses thoroughly kicked, and it's up to the Democrats to cater to them. Doesn't that seem a little at odds with the actual outcome of the election?

To the extent that it was more a matter of Republicans losing than Democrats winning, the people have given the Democrats a mandate to oppose Bush on Iraq, and to use the power of the subpeona to investigate all the things that have gone wrong on the Republican watch.

You know, I find myself rather proud of the American people right now. We had a President who told us to pound sand, that he'd do whatever he damn well pleased, in disregard of the people's wishes, and of the Constitution. And the people said, "bullshit, George, tell it to this Democratic Congress". Things played out according to the Founders' plan, and it was good. The system worked.