The Drug Enforcement Agency is to be directly involved in Colorado's election, according to the Daily Camera. DEA special agents are directing a $10,000 "fund" to counter a statewide marijuana initiative.

The real danger is in money and influence of Federal Agencies. Say the Administration's Faith Based Charity Office gets directly involved in anti-gay marriage initiatives. Or, the "new" EPA funds anti-environmental initiatives. The list can (and probably will) be endless. The federal government's budget can be used to stifle not only citizen's initiatives but also dissent. This an immediate danger to all citizens.

Of course the Alito nomination could have been won, as could; the Plame outing, the Gonzalez nomination, taxcut welfare, the environment, and a host of other nominations and issues. The problem here is implementation failure.

The party apparatus is aligned top down, with the minority marquee names at top charged with direction and execution, and with majority base only to be used for election. The majority of our party, not only has no input within the structure, but more importantly, no access to the structure other than elections. The base is strategic; the leadership is tactical (or is supposed to be). So, why is the leadership failing on so many issues and nominations?