I think Ron is most definitely right, but I think the Democrat party also suffers (is losing its power) because it is so easily charaterized by it's extreme -- an extreme that many in the country just do not agree with. Yet.

Take the abortion issue, for example. The country is overwhelmingly moderate. I don't remember who here said it, but it's true that there are about 20% hard-core on either side, right or left. The Democrats, for fear of losing their base (a fear I think they needn't have worried so much about -- they are sewed up. Upon reflection, maybe that's where the Nader threat played so heavily), voted, in close chronological proximity to the election, to uphold the extreme of late-term abortions.

Had they moderated their veiws, moderates (the majority) may not have been scared off.

The left's brand of internationalism also seemingly scares the moderate moreso than does the exteme measures the Republicans seem to be offering to defend us internationally. I am not fond of Bush (I didn't vote for him. I have my doubts that the Republicans will survive him -- certainly the conservatives have not), but his showing a willingness to protect our interests, however convoluted, is interpretted by the moderate as less threatening than the exteme left who sees no threat in terrorism -- in fact, charaterizes it as something that is our (moderates included) fault.