[Dr. Frank fan]

What's important to ask about what the pols think THEY have learned. I think you're statement that the pols have learned "nothing" is unsupportable. At least the leftists have "learned" that the "American voters have spoken for change." Like it or not, that is certainly one result of the 2006 election.

Exactly. What the pols (left AND right, I would say) have "learned" is that the Iraq war was bad bad bad and they should badmouth it and distance themselves from it.

That's the "lesson" that true-blue conservatives "taught" the RINOs they hate so much: that they need to distance themselves from Bush and Iraq.

[sam_paine]

I hope that the dissension on these threads will be an indicator or reality.

There are really three outcomes:

1) Be more conservative. (We hope)
2) Run more liberal. (I'm afraid)
3) Chaos and disagreement on the right. (I expect)

I think, so far, #3 is proven day after day on FR in the internecine Rudy-vs-Hunter flamewars.

#2 -or- #3, IMO, are good for the leftists.