Can the Democrats heal the rift between the extreme left wing of their party and the scorched-earth left wing of their party? While the last election evoked considerable commentary regarding Tea Party intolerance for "moderate Republicans," a less-covered story was the growing intolerance within the left for its own apostates. Certainly the vulgar, spittle-flecked vitriol that the left loosed on Barack Obama after his compromise with Republicans on taxes and unemployment compensation revealed a severe distaste for those who stray from the shining path. Obama seems to have moved a little farther along the mourning process than they have. He's negotiating. They're still in denial/Michael Costello, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Is Michael Costello right? Do Democrats have the political equivalent to the Tea Party -- an extreme left wing that's splitting with main-stream party liberals?