@LukeN,
The democratic party is a bit broken at the moment.
It traditionally (best) served as a coalition party, meaning it banded together
several groups who brought agendas to the table and functioned in a way that
the voters set the parties agenda. Most of those agendas came to pass (labor
reform, civil rights, women's issues) and it became stuck as just a party that
kinda has a vaguely liberal outlook and plays the same lobbyist-friendly game
the Republicans do. meanwhile, The Reps have built their own coalition, where
once they just represented the view of keeping government small and out
of everyone's lives and way, they now bring together pro-life forces, those
with moral issues and religious concerns, Corporate entities and those in favor
of deregulating business and lowering taxes.
The dems have been "out-coalitioned" lately (except with Bill Clinton as a candidate).
I can't just support the Democrats because they aren't the Republicans. That's
stupid. I've voted for reform-minded Republicans locally and in the U.S. Senate
(I come from a state with perhaps the most corrupt state government in history).
Nationally, I really wish the Libertarians and The Green Party and the other
progressive parties would, first off, find some short term mutually beneficial
agendas to work together towards, then take their assembled power and
their agendas and messages to the Democrats and build a coalition.
That's what American politics is about, not a two-sided tug of war that doesn't
get resolved... or get anything beneficial and far-sighted accomplished.
I'm an "other," a Green Liberaltarian.