Re: one party nation: I'm a registered Republican--not that I ever voted for GWB.--or Reagan. I had the idea, several eons ago, that if there were enough moderate to liberal Republican voters--as there were, once upon a time, in this area--we could influence the party enough so that if either a Republican or Democrat got in, it would be OK.   This stance has been proven hopelessly naive.

It is painfully obvious that the DeMint-style insistence on ideological purity has carried the day in the Republican party, after GWB et al. had already trashed it beyond belief. As Bill D points out, if there were an Ike-style leader in charge, it would be an acceptable alternative to a Democrat. Since there is not, the Republican party as it has developed recently deserves every bit of its electoral humiliation. And more.   Which may be coming.

Not that Democrats should be cocky. Maintaining the "big tent" is not easy in practical politics--the art of actually getting something done.