A Credible Opposition

...is essential for a Healthy Democracy. From the Weekly Standard:

God knows the Bush administration is not beyond criticism for either its prewar planning or its execution of postwar reconstruction efforts.

And it would be a valuable contribution to our politics if such criticism were mounted by the Democratic party--acting as an intelligent, loyal opposition. But it's a free country, and if the Democrats prefer instead to act as a pathologically disgruntled lunatic fringe, then it'll be their problem more than anyone else's.

Australian Labour Party, please copy. I want an alternative that I can vote for - not because the current mob are so bad, but because we need someone as an alternative for when they inevitably lose the plot. And for making sure that in the meantime they don't get away with the mistakes they do make. I don't agree with the author in one respect; it's not the Democrats/ALPs problem, it's the voting public's.