On Democratic politics & the House leadership race I don't like to talk about stuff others are talking about all the time anyhow, but this time, I want to speak up on something that I've been thinking about. I'm a "Man of the Right" so to speak, so I think maybe I can view the Democratic leadership race more clinically than the folks over at The American Prospect or The New Republic. Nancy Pelosi of California is running against Martin Frost of Texas. Pelosi is a California liberal, Frost is a Texas moderate. Many are saying that a Pelosi win will signal the death knell of her party because she'll pull it too far to the Left. But the most powerful Republican in Congress is probably Tom DeLay, who is very conservative. Speaker Hastert is moderate only in comparison to DeLay and Armey. Trent Lott, though pragmatic, is also a conservative. Moderates like Jennifer Dunn of Washington can only aspire to junior level leadership positions in the Republican party today, because they are well, too moderate (Dunn is pro-choice for instance). So, though I'm a Republican (the less Evil Party you know), why is it that Pelosi leading the Democrats is scarier than DeLay leading the Republicans? If Martin Frost is good enough for the Democrats, and gives them the best centrist shot at respectability, why not Chris Shays for the Republicans? (don't laugh) Yes, yes, of course we all know that this is a conservative country, and conservatives outnumber liberals in all the polls I've seen since about 1975. But let's give that as the reason for moderate Democrats fearing a Pelosi tenure. Personally, I don't think that she'd lead the party that far Left-she's pragmatic enough to know that this is not a country filled with California Democrats.