Good line

Prof. Bainbridge says what I've been trying to much more eloquently that I did:

I think this is precisely the point that the party loyalists missed during the quag-Miers fight. Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers broke the social compact between his White House and his base, providing the tipping point at which cumulative dissatisfaction with Bush's governing style and decisions boiled over. To party loyalists there could be no greater sin than questioning the leader of their party; to movement activists, however, the purpose of a political party is not to perpetuate itself in office but to achieve political goals. If the party refuses to use its power to advance the agenda, the party has forfeited its claim on our loyalty.