A long time ago, it wasn't all that unusual for Democrats to out-conservative their Republican opponents. New York Republican Vito Marcantonio was a fellow traveller of the Communists and Georgia Democrat Larry McDonald was the chairman of the John Birch Society. Politics was more interesting when voters had to look at more than just party label to determine which candidate better represented their interests. As late as 1990 here in Massachusetts, for instance, the Democratic candidate for governor, John Silber, ran as the conservative and the Republican, William Weld, ran as the liberal. James Antle in today's American Spectator writes of the return of this phenomenon in South Carolina. Antle writes of "Flat-Top Bob" Conley, a Democrat challenging Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, "He opposes abortion, same-sex marriage, gun control, and amnesty for illegal immigrants, repeatedly referring to the incumbent senator as 'Grahamnesty.'" Graham, a supporter of amnesty for illegal aliens, a member of the Senate's "Gang of 14," and a backer of the anti-free speech McCain-Feingold law, acknowledges that Conley runs to his right: "From what I can tell, he doesn't represent moderation. I represent a brand of conservatism that you will feel comfortable with." Moderation? In South Carolina?

I would love to see more common sense in politics with regard to either party’s affiliation and a candidate’s position on the issues. But, does this really exist anymore? Lieberman was thrown out by the Dems for just being a moderate. How can a guy with the positions of Billy Bob Conley end up or stay a Democrat?

Liebermann is about as as you can go when it comes to economics, and a hawk among hawks when it comes to war. How does that make him a "moderate?" "Independent" or "mavarick" maybe, in the sense that he is willing to cross party lines to push forward his extremism. But that hardly makes him a "moderate."

Sorry, lost a word there: "Liebermann is about as Left as you can go when it comes to economics

That's the point Eric. Lieberman may be left on many issues but all he had to do was to vehemently support the war and break with the majority of hardcore Democrats and they, essentially, threw him out.

For the left, supporting the war makes you a moderate and is one of the reasons Hillary won't be getting the party's nomination.