Are Democrats building in the center?

A piece by Reid Wilson today at RealClearPolitics attempts to demonstrate that the Democratic Party is building up membership in the center and on the right. But, if 2006 showed anything, it's that the Democratic tent is not big enough to house contrasting views. Liberal activists are still trying to drive out Joe Lieberman.

While it is disappointing to see the GOP reach into New England weakening, I don't think that the problem is mainly that the Party is becoming more conservative. Indeed, the current administration has done more to expand the size and scope of government than several of his predecessors. Take, for example, the doubling of the size of the federal Department of Education and creation of a whole new cabinet department (Homeland Security) by this administration. This does not even mention the Medicare Prescription Drug plan, or McCain Feingold. 

Rather, the problem for the GOP is two-fold: the war, and forgetting he successes of the Gingrich Revolution. On the war, John McCain has credibility and may well win the election. But, on conservative values of low spending, low taxes, free enterprise, and smaller government, the GOP may still lose even if it wins. Fortunately, as the national Democratic Party continues to outdo the GOP in expansion of government and excessive spending, any upsurge of comservative Democrats will be temporary. Even with that, however, the party needs to revive the brand and reinvigorate conservative governance. How soon the RNC figures this out, time will only tell.