John Anderson was a very practical guy in 1980, when he decided to break with the Republicans too, Nerd. I'm going to wait and see what Dean does. I think it will depend, to a large extent, if and how quickly the progressive left picks up the pieces here and decides to go sit in Nader's tent, or the tent of progressive Democrat with a good deal of clout, like Feingold. Harkin probably doesn't have the pull anymore, after Iowa going red. Feingold kicked ass in Wisconsin, and is a true progressive--even left of Wellstone.

We could build alliances with Western progressives, particularly Native Americans, Latinos, and environmentalists in the Western red states, and start talking about things like universal health care, a living wage, and not having to send your kids into the military to get them health care and post-secondary education, and you've got some heat building up! We'd then join the northeast, the midwest, and the west to west coast progressives, and bam! We'd have it, racist southerners be damned and their Toby Keith worshipping, NASCAR energy resource wasting, Coors lite culture be damned!

Ron, I'm not hiding in a cave. I happen to live in a very progressive Blue-Green state, in a city that is full of people who think a lot like I do, surrounded by rural areas full of progressive leaning Democrats.

That is my world. Funny, isn't it, that you and the Republicrats don't even see us on your radar!