We're all delighted to see how many self-identified conservatives and Republicans have come out in favour of Barack Obama, and we're buying popcorn in bulk for the gigantic theocrats vs plutocrats civil war the Republicans are lining up for following their upcoming crushing defeat at the polls. But what will we do with the refugees?
With the Dems holding all three branches of Government and their own party falling into chaos, a lot of former Republicans are just going to want to jump ship. And hopefully not just ordinary voters, but office-holders too. If I'm feeling really optimistic, I start hoping to see a Senator or two cross the aisles, handing us the 60 seats we need (and maybe even giving us enough to tell Lieberman to finish his journey the other way onto the sinking ship). In one sense, obviously, we want those people; it cements both our power and our legitimacy, and furthers the evaporative cooling of the Republican party into something too insane and toxic for most of America to vote for.
But with all due respect to the moderate Republicans reading this diary, we don't want to see the Democrats pushed further to the right by this influx of membership. It would seem crazy to start compromising further on core Democratic values at a time of strength, a time when more than ever that the virtues of what the Democrats are supposed to stand for are clear to the electorate.
So what do we do with the moderate Republicans who want to climb onboard the only bus in town that has an engine? Can we really tell them that they can hop on board, but the steering isn't changing?