I believe that the Democrats benefit in that they seem to be able to function as a political party while having factions with opposites beliefs.

I believe that blacks are willing to put up with any hostility by the Democratic Party toward religion because no Democratic candidate is ever hostile toward the religious practices of the black community. It has always seemed to me that the Democrats operate from the view that whites should be smart enough not to "fall for religion" but it is quaint when blacks practice their brand of religion because, in the view of many Democrats, they are too stupid to "not fall for religion."

** ** Indicates sarcasm for those who can't tell![grinz]

You may want to look up religious participation rates for different demographic groups. Blacks in America are by far the most religious people in the United States and vote Democratic 90% of the time.

I think people forget that politics is not a sporting event. The Republicans are not going to get an easier schedule or the number one draft pick. They are at a disadvantage versus the Democrats and the disadvantages will grow.

If anyone had a good method of getting more Hispanics and blacks to vote Republican, the Republican National Party would be willing to pay them millions of dollars. Yet, no one has any good ideas of getting more votes from those groups without alienating core Republican voters.

Whatever you are smoking, you should give it up. I am a registered Democrat an hold religious freedom as one of the cornerstones of the American way of life. Millions of other Democrats feel exactly the same way. Many have fought and many died for this ideal. Why are you spitting on their sacrifice for freedom?

I do so love understatement.

Poll the patriot acts and you get overwhelming success. Want to know why the foreign intercepts and SWIFT fell off the democratic speaking points? Because the public wants them in overwhelming numbers. Note that their repeal isn't on Pelosi's 100 days for the same reason.

What imprisonment without trial? Captured enemy not being given a trial? That's been going on since the founding of the country.

As far as the noise machine, which side had a major political figure have to give up the microphone to a chanting diva. Sorry, the left has the noise and thunder (signifying nothing, but they have it).

Pandering is always a perspective. Shall we see what is under the tree for the big unions. Perhaps they will get union elections without a secret ballot. Nothing like squashing the mechanisms of democracy (secret voting, free speech, etc) to show you are a democrat.

superdestroyer; Not so fast, consider that the VAST majority of the demographic shift comes from a population that is nearly all Catholic and the Democrats HATE christian values.

Not that I expect that to happen any time soon...