Bipartisanship is a sinking ship...

Good riddance to Evan Bayh, Blue Dog senator from Indiana. Maybe other Blue Dog, insufferable centrists will throw in the "white flag" towel that they always wave anyway. They did enough damage to the health care reform proposal, by watering it down to please the Republican Party of No who, of course, couldn't be pleased because they didn't want any of it in the first place.

Here is my advice for the notion of bipartisanship: F-word it.

As liberal Arianna Huffington said on TV today, with the agreement of conservative George Will, the major issues of this nation have required strong political stands. She wondered what would have been the moderate position, to placate both sides, on the issue of slavery during Lincoln's time--to free half the slaves?

Bipartisanship is a bit like suggesting that everyone should be bisexual because that's some kind of "middle ground" between two definite but contrary approaches. No, I think people should be what they are and they should advocate strongly for their beliefs, on either side, without having to think that a strong stance must be turned into a soft appeasement in order to be best for America.

Progressive presidents should advocate for progressive measures, conservative presidents should advocate for conservative measures. The so-called middle already spoke when it helped to elect what people all recognized to be a choice between a progressive (Obama) or a conservative (McCain). With that mandate, then the progressives should lead. And the Blue Dogs and centrists should get out of the way. And the conservatives, who can be the loyal opposition as a minority, shouldn't expect their stances in politics and legislation to supersede the vote of the majority.