Reply #138: Treat 'em as they act, that's what I say. [View All]

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Adults throw tantrums all the time, they just do it differently than children. Terrorism is an example of an adult tantrum. The logic remains the same - reward the tantrum if and only if you want more tantrums.

If your voters and potential voters want to get on board and help, fine. If they want to push for their programs and their issues from inside the party, fine. If they help us get elected, they'll be remembered and appreciated in proportion. If the progressives can actually find the Silent Progressive Majority and get them to the ballot boxes to vote in not only the nominee but a Democratic majority in both houses of Congress, their reward from the administration they created will be considerable. But they can't expect it in the campaign, and anyway what good are campaign promises? Has Bush been a "compassionate conservative," a "uniter not a divider"?

If they want to work against us and try to defeat us, either they'll succeed or they'll fail. If they fail, they'll have proved that we don't need them. If they succeed, they will earn our hatred, not our accommodation. I am indebted to The Magistrate for this elegant parsing of the situation.