Kerry concedes, delivering a bad Oscar speech, and once again calls for compromise from Democrats: "America is in need of unity, and longing for a larger measure of compassion."

Instead of rallying the troops and capitalizing on the momentum of an invigorated, if demoralized, left he wants us to play the lamb to the lion and hope this time we don't get mauled.

Sorry.

Not this time.

We tried that route in 2000 and took it square on the chin as a result, and got saddled with another compromised loser instead of taking a stand for real change and nominating a candidate that we could at least be proud to have voted for in defeat. The "Red States" have declared a cultural war and a war is what they should get.

Mark my words: 2004 will go down as the Democratic Party's last gasp before beginning a slow fade into irrelevance.

The future starts today, locally, with letters to your city council members and state senators, expressing your displeasure with the results and the direction of the country, and letting them know you're watching and will be holding them accountable from day one. Don't give them any time to compromise.

The Democrats are done. Barack Obama doesn't have the experience to mount a credible run in 2008, and Hilary will lose to McCain or Giuliani - or, god forbid, the potentially unstoppable combination of the two.

The Left - a lowly 21% according to exit polls - needs to split from the Democratic Party, kick it while it's down, and start from scratch. There's no reason to compromise anymore. Develop a platform now for 2006, make some inroads there, and then hit 2008 with a Schwarzenegger-type to represent them.

It's time to make a stand.

PS: Blogger was apparently swamped this morning so my earlier thoughts went to my LiveJournal.