Taxonomy of Oddballs

The word "moderate" is showing it's limitations as a political modifier. While the Republicans control (at least on paper) each branch of the federal government, these quixotic creatures, moderates, apparently wield enough power to broker deals like the filibuster compromise. What gives?

I'm reminded of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, who watch the superposse get closer on their tail and ask each other, bewildered, "Who are those guys?" I don't think there's any off-the-shelf answer, but here's a cheat sheet that may help in the classification of miscellaneous politicos.

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Weakly Affiliated - Folks in this category are the best candidates to be called RINOs or DINOs (Republicans or Democrats In Name Only). Consider pale Lincoln Chafee, who when asked about his affiliation with the Gang of 14 on the news just shrugged his shoulders and said "What do you want, I'm a Republican from Rhode Island.". When the interview got tougher he mumbled something about Jim Jeffords. You get the feeling he could eat a bad taco, experience indigestion, and switch parties for the hell of it.

Picky Independents - These are the people that are choosy about political issues. They might believe strongly in national defense, but feel less keen on a fundamentalist view that the Old Testament should be appended directly to the Constitution. Arnold Shwarzenegger belongs in the category, along with South Park conservatives and probably Spacetropic. Nutbag former Georgia senator Zell Miller appears to be a DINO because he is conservative on all of the issues, but because he's nothing like the lily-livered Chafee, I think he belongs here.

Vain Opportunists - Polls, approval ratings, and the fluttery swoon of beltway insiders and coastal elites motivate these people. Bill and increasingly Hillary own this category (although Bill is also motivated by OPP). Rush Limbaugh tells his audience that McCain lives here too, but without any solid supporting evidence.

Hideous Compromisers - In days of yore these were the deal brokers and hustlers that could assemble a brilliant senatorial compromise out of tin foil and duct tape. These days we are left with the well-intentioned but mewling Joe Lieberman, who appears to be dragged around by guilt and fear.

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I'll leave it to readers to determine which circle of Dante's hell these oddballs belong - among the dissemblers and lecherous. This post began as a response to NixGuy's thoughts on the compromise - and I will have more to say on that later. Practical concerns intervene ...