As a recent resident of NJ, and a long time democratic activist, I would say that New Jersey is a good example of what happens when yin and yang are out of balance to a large degree. We see the same problem in Michigan, but it is the Republicans who dominate. So many of the Dems I encountered in New Jersey were Dems in name only. They had to be in order to win. We see the same in outstate Michigan with liberal Republicans. The beauty of a two party system can only be appreciated when there are clear differences in the two parties. Unfortunately, I see my own Party moving too close to the middle and not differentiating itself from the Republicans. Fortunately we have folks like Kucinich, and Edwards to a degree, as well as a few others, who are trying to light that debate.

Mick