What I think is missing in the understanding of Clinton and Blair is that the Third Way is so consciously, openly, and conscientiously opportunistic that it is rather succesful in riding the balance of forces and making them to a small degree accessible to more democratic pressure.
Clinton and Gordon Brown have appeared (of course in an utterly reformist way) mildly encouraging of the protest movement against world capitalism. Blair has succumbed to mass pressure on GM foods within a year.
This politics of utterly conscientious opportunism is not closed by any means to mass pressure.
Besides from a marxist point of view what do we expect politicans to be if not opportunist? At least let them do it diligently and serve some useful purpose.
Chris Burford
London