While I have spent most of my life following the partisan wars, that began with Clinton’s election and continued into the 2004 election cycle, I like many have begun to tire of the zero sum game being played out. And not because I am quitting, but because I think conservatives are winning – if not already on the verge of ‘won’.

At some point in time the war will be over. The heat of intellectual battle will soon recede to the calm of a re-integrated American body politic now focused on a new path, with new challenges in need of new solutions. We do not need 9-11’s to bring us together. We can also decide the situation is what it is, and begin to once more work together towards new solutions.

Miers may be a signal this is happening. I seriously doubt liberals are in any position to take the Democrat party back to majority status any time soon. Their extreme views and failed policies have gutted the Democrat party and marginalized it time and time again. The national democrats are tired of generating a lot of fire and sparks, only to drift further into the minority. They are coming to the realization, albeit slowly, this is another failed concept that took them from the pinnacle of power in 1993, when Clinton was sworn in, to today.

Miers is being backed by Harry Reid. He knows her, respects her and is not afraid of her. Miers is backed by George Bush. He knows her, respects her and is also not afraid of her. Those afraid of her are the ones who do not know her, and have decided that allows them to disrespect her. I watch in amazement as Martin Frost, Democrat Congressman from Texas, went on with Brit Hume on Fox News and supported his fellow Texan – Harriet Miers. Bush, Reid and Frost. What is it they know we do not? They know Miers.

One thing the partisan warriors forget is most of us dislike the civil warfare we have been experiencing for over a decade. I feel better about Clinton now he is out of office and working to raise funds for those in need. It is much better than him in office trying to hold back liberal policies and garnering resentment from all who opposed him. Carville and Begala were not conducive to working together as a people.

So, when all the partisans moan that the battle royale in the Senate is being avoided because we have a conservative nominee who knows the real world outside the lawyer’s domain, and someone who has experience dealing with the war on terror, then the rest of us applaud and scratch our heads.

The conservatives need to understand they can go too far and into areas the country will not follow:

America wants smaller government, but we are not ready to pull needed prescription drugs from poor seniors, or disband the department of education (at least not yet).

Americans want border control, and legal and monitored alien workers – but we will not support the round up and deportation of millions of people at gun point because their paperwork is not in order.

Americans are very much pro-life, but we are not prepared to outlaw abortions and put government between a woman’s decisions and doctor’s advise. The flip side of this is when those, like my wife and I, are told we should terminate a fetus due to possible risks – and we decide otherwise. Don’t let government have any power to decide who lives and dies in your family.

Americans are very religious and very tolerant of religious diversity, but we are not ready to pretend Intelligent Design is the equivalent of Science. I often wonder when did science and spirituality become mutually exclusive? In the Bible healing is only described through mystical powers handed down by God and through prayer. It is never described using vaccines or imaging machines or drugs. So does that mean Scientology more accurately reflects Intelligent Design theory, since it more closely reflects healing as described in scriptures? Tom Cruise would be happy to hear that I am sure.

Americans are against same sex marriage, they are not for treating gays and lesbians as second class humans. They support same sex unions to correct some serious wrongs, like visitation rights (can anyone see barring a life long partner from being in attendance during a person’s last minutes on Earth?). Conversely, Americans respect the right of people to do what they want (within bounds – i.e., kids are out of bounds) in the privacy of their bedrooms. But we have no interest in you parading your bedroom antics in public or around our children. Gay and Lesbian Day at Disney World makes about as much sense as Missionary Day or Oral Day at Disney World. You want respect for your private actions keep them private.

There are limits to where the conservative cause can go with majority backing. Just like the liberal causes had reached their limits in the 1980’s and began to lose support – so too can conservative ideas. The support for conservative policies came from tempering solutions in order to build consensus, not because there was universal agreement on the end goal. Thus outlawing partial birth abortions and requiring parental notification came into being, even though we will not see abortions made illegal right now.

We have a war on terror to deal with – with real enemies outside our country who want to destroy us. Partisan bickering is getting old and is a tiresome diversion. If Bush and the Senate Dems have come together to support a clear conservative with lots of positives (and only speculation based on worst case assumptions as possible negatives), then I applaud the “new tone”. And I do not applaud those pining for the old tone.

UPDATE:

This poll would indicate I am probably not alone.