Say it with me: The Surge is Working.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

I was curious to see what kind of activity this would get at dKos and I see my expectations were met.

The site has turned into the equivalent of a bunch of rabid fans at a sports match. There is no room for discussion amidst all the screaming and rooting for the home team.

One of the consequences of this narrow focus and obvious partisanship is that the site is no longer of any influence. People don't quote the essays and the popular bloggers aren't asked for their thoughts elsewhere.

One can have a loyal following but no influence. Just look at the tabloid press - millions of readers, but no editorial clout.

It's too bad, it could have been a force for change. A site like Talking Points Memo now attracts all the thoughtful political analysts and current authors. Huffington Post is trying to do something similar as well as adding entertainment figures to make the site more like a regular newspaper.

Markos' political naiveté is the cause of this lost opportunity.

Policies not Politics
---- Daily Landscape