a few quick notes:

this from an article at slate outlines my moderate view and concerns--

No, we don't need two Republican parties and we don't need two Democratic parties, but we do need two parties that work deliberately to represent the largest number of Americans, not just the 5% on either end that respond to purely ideological appeals or the 20% on either end that form a additional bulwark of die-hard partisan support, but the 50% that comprise the center and are willing to move toward or away from either party.

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I have a great deal of concern about the direction of the Democratic Party and our long-term prospects. I may be too cautious, but i do not think being more radical NOW is the answer, no matter how desireable that proposition may be. here is a telling article on GOP long term strategy for the role of government as well as a revelation as to why tax cuts are great for all seasons: they shrink money that can go into programs and thus shrink programs. This is the logic, assuming the GOP can make themselves stop spending. They've not been so good at that so far.