Yikes! Dirty Lefties might pester Our Leaders tomorrow:

A cluster of protesters will greet the new congressional leaders at the Capitol tomorrow. They will not be disgruntled conservatives wary of Democratic control, but liberals demanding a ban on torture, an end to warrantless domestic spying and a restoration of curbed civil liberties.

How extreme and radical of them!

As Johnathan Weisman explains, their positions are equivalent to the Anti-Abortion and "God Hates Fags" maniacs':

To most Democratic lawmakers, such activism presents a quandary. House Republican leaders spent years trying to placate their conservative base with agendas built around opposition to same-sex marriage, antiabortion votes and tax cuts, said Sen.-elect Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.). The partisan tone enraged Democrats and ultimately alienated moderates and independents, who swept the GOP from power in November after a dozen years in control.

WRONGGGG! Catering to and engaging their activist base is exactly how the GOP was able to stay in power for 12 years. They could not have done it without them.

The GOP was swept from power because of the GOP's incompetence, corruption, and bungling in Iraq and after Katrina. They also lost because the Democrats' activist base got massively involved.

Unfortunately, a lot of Beltway (and non-beltway) Dems buy into the Mythical Centrist frame and use that as a reason to marginalize their lefty activist base. Politically, it's sooo stupid.

But then again, these are intelligent successful people. The only explanation that makes sense to me is that some Beltway Dems WANT to marginalize the lefty activists because what they're asking for is inconvenient. The Centrist Myth is a handy excuse, among many.

There are Dems Who Don't Suck:

But Democratic lawmakers -- especially the freshmen who capitalized on voter discontent -- said their core supporters' anger is real and must be acknowledged.

"Those people protesting on Thursday care deeply about their country," said Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire, an incoming House freshman who ran as an ardent opponent of Bush and the war. "I think we do need to pay attention. People are begging us to remember the Constitution, what made this country great."

Right on, Carol. How very radical of you.