My Favorite Liberal

Has a pretty good post up.  The eternally optimistic Dean Esmay waxes eloquent on the two-party system, game theory, pragmatism, and political conventions.  Excerpt:

Half a loaf, half a loaf, half a loaf onward. Yet it's not a charge into oblivion, but a charge into what's right. Over a period of years, maybe a period of decades, the American people will eventually find their way to the right answer.

When you look at the candidates for President every four years, you must look at all of this. The Republican will ride to power speaking of stern, strong, unyielding principles that he will inevitably compromise upon. The Democrat will inevitably rise to power out of a squabbling mess of fractious ideologies, attempting to meld them into a semi-coherent whole. Neither one will be virginal, both will be a little full of shit--but both of them (usually) sincere. In most cases, both will genuinely want what is best for America. Your only question will be whether you think their vision is the right vision, and whether you believe he will govern responsibly, and will take the duties of his office sincerely.

Give it a read.