Young Ezra reacts.

[T]he reaction congressional Democrats have had to Coakley's loss has been much more shattering. It has been a betrayal.

The fundamental pact between a political party and its supporters is that the two groups believe the same thing and pledge to work on it together. And the Democratic base feels that it has held to its side of the bargain. It elected a Democratic majority and a Democratic president. It swallowed tough compromises on the issues it cared about most. It swallowed concessions to politicians it didn't like and industry groups it loathed. But it persisted. Because these things are important. That's why those voters believe in them. That's why they're Democrats.

But the party looks ready to abandon them because Brown won a special election in Massachusetts -- even though Democrats can pass the bill after Brown is seated. What that says is crucial: Whereas the base thought it was making these hard compromises and getting up early to knock on doors because these issues are important, the party thought all that was happening because, well, it's hard to say. It was electorally convenient? People need something to do? Ted Kennedy wanted it done?

If Democrats let go of health care, there is no doubt that a demoralized Democratic base will stay home in November. And that's as it should be. If the Democratic Party won't uphold its end of the bargain, there's no reason its base should pretend the deal is still on.

Maybe it was just a short-term fling, and the voters really aren't that into you?

Seriously though,
stop "swallowing", start paring back your pricetags, and proceed cautiously if you want to make the sale, any sale? Baby steps before you enter the country in a marathon run.

And start sitting down with people outside your comfort zone, and listening instead of advising, in order to lead cooperatively?

That Christmas Eve maneuver was tricky, and it was rightly viewed that way -- along with the last-minute deal to secure Sen. Nelson's vote. That might be good game-playing, the way it's done now and in the past, but people really did want change in Washington.

Remember?