Decius wrote:

Congressman Brian Baird (D-3 Vancouver, Washington) hosted a town hall tonight at Fort Vancouver High School. It was Baird’s first appearance in front of his constituents since reversing his position on the war. ALTHOUGH he’s been an adamant critic of the war—he voted against the war and the surge—he announced last week that he thinks the surge is working and he wants to give it time.

He spoke in a high school auditorium that was packed with at least 500 people who were overwhelmingly vocal in their opposition to Baird’s new stance. There were also protesters outside calling for Baird to resign.

I also talked to several people as they left the auditorium and asked them if they found Baird—who was there to explain his new position—to be persuasive. To a person, everyone shook their head “no way,” including Doris Holmes, active member of the 18th district Democrats, who said, “He lied. He’s toeing the Bush party line. I can’t believe he’s a Democrat.”

You can follow links through to Baird's editorial if you wish. The bottom line is that this sort of thinking simply isn't allowed in the Democratic party. "I have committed even before setting pen to paper the essential crime that contains all others unto itself."

So, it seems to me that having an opinion that falls outside the party lines is "... simply isn't allowed in the Democratic party."

This is the reason I don't follow party politics, it's time for this country to find a better way to represent ourselves, because this polarized party system breeds a dangerous hotbed of thinking among the American people. Republican v. Democrat / Conservative v. Liberal, these are dangerous distinctions today.

Personally, my views are mostly moderate, however they can sway from far left to far right, depending on the issue. I want to be able to find someone that clearly represents my views. Of course that's not going to work all the time, but I'd like to actually vote for the best person for the job, not the best party.

RE: Rep. Baird Gets Blasted for Iraq war views