Logic

Just because we negate something it is not necessarily its opposite. For instance, many progressive bloggers, including kos and chris bowers have been posting the freepers' and wingnuts' reactions to the filibuster compromise, and since the freepers are outraged, as much as some of us on the left if not more, the progressive bloggers have concluded that this constitutes a victory for us.

Well it just ain't so. That line of reasoning is equivalent to: "It is not raining, therefore it must be nice out."

Just because the freepers are all having a hissy fit does not mean that we have won anything. This was a compromise, and without getting into the details of the compromise (scroll down a couple posts) it is clear that the real winner of the day was the status quo. For those of you jumping up and down to say that keeping the status quo on the Senate rules was a good thing - relatively you may be right in the short term, and by relatively I mean how long before they try it again and the Senate is not to be bound by the dead hand of the past - I disagree. We all agree that the status quo of the Democratic party and the current things is foul and noxious. What makes this any different? The status quo will only help us slide further into GOP domination. As for Bower's comment that

Some will say that this moves us closer to theocracy than ever. Of course they will be right. Then again, every day of the 109th Congress brings us closer to theocracy, and this one is no different than the rest. Further, keep in mind that theocracy is what the Republican grassroots want, and the Republican grassroots are pissed off at this deal. If we weaken the energy of the Republican grassroots, we also slow our slide toward theocracy. So while this certainly moves us closer to theocracy in the short term, in the long term it might help us begin a reversal.

I can't find myself agreeing with this. I can't remember what cartoon or movie I saw this in, but it demonstrated that if you place a frog in water and slowly raise the temperature until it is boiling, it won't notice and will die. However, if you try to place the same frog in already boiling water it will jump right out. I think it is the same thing with people. They will not care as much if it is gradual and they do not notice, but try to change things quickly in a big way and they will react.

Instead of seeing the outcome of this compromise in a GOP/Democrat frame, we need to look at it in a status quo/reform frame. The winner - status quo. The loser - reform.