Just for fun, for a snark, I was thinking the other night about American politicians from the past who would have to be unacceptable to true progressives today--those amongst us who love the Constitution and will defend it at all costs. True patriots, actually--yes they are. Those who say that Obama's FISA stance is a deal-breaker. Most won't contribute or volunteer, some won't even vote for him. So I wondered: What other politicians from our history did things that would have to have been deal-breakers for our good progressives today?

I came up with quite a list, and posted it in a comment here. The list included many of our major founding fathers, plus most of the liberal icons from the 20th century. Since then I've thought up a few more. Many of these gentlemen indeed would be eliminated on the basis of a single issue (to answer a question in one of the replys to my comment)--but those issues are doozies. Once I really thought about it, it wasn't a snark anymore.

Full disclaimer: I am not an actual historian, although I am a history buff. I'm no Constitutional scholar. Ergo, I welcome additions, flames, corrections and constructive comments from those with more expertise than I on these subjects. Here goes:

I found it painful to read yesterday's diary regarding Barack Obama's comments about Ronald Reagan. Seeing such obviously sincere people completely misinterpret Sen. Obama's comments and misunderstand the rare opportunity that Obama offers to the progressive community prompted me to attempt an explanation of that opportunity. Many Kossacks appear to be missing the possibilities for the generational change to progressivism that Obama is trying to achieve. Only by winning the kind of mandate that Reagan won can major change be accomplished.

Far from agreeing with Reagan, Obama instead is attempting to reverse Reagan's legacy. He is doing so by following Reagan's successful battle plan for winning a complete generational realignment of politics in this nation. He cites Reagan not for his policies, but for the man's undeniable political prowess. Reagan achieved a generational shift toward conservatism, still the dominant philosophy in the nation. Simply put: Reagan won, and we lost (as did America).

Now, because of the incompetence, stupidity, and sickeningly vicious politics of George W. Bush, we have a chance to overthrow not just the Bush/Cheney junta, but to completely overturn Reagan's victory. Only Obama, because he attracts the crossover votes necessary to achieve a powerful mandate, can do it.