<html><body> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Isn't this untenable over the medium and long term?  SR</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">> Off Base <BR>> Washington Democrats think their core voters are barking mad. <BR>> <BR>> It has occurred to me that both parties increasingly dislike their <BR>> bases, but for different reasons and to different degrees. By both <BR>> parties I mean the leaders and representatives of the Democrats and <BR>> Republicans in Washington. I believe I correctly observe that they <BR>> feel an increasing intellectual estrangement from and impatience with <BR>> the activists who people their base of support. <BR>> <BR>> </BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>