Detour alert! National stats ahead!

I try to keep coloradolib local. But this paragraph in Molly Ivins CNN anti-triangulation editorial deserves to be passed around. Ivins was blasting Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and other Democrats who shift right in an effort to appear "centrist." She points out that sticking up for liberal ideals shouldn't be difficult:

"What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55%) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65%) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86%) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60%) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66%) wants to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes. The majority (77%) thinks we should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment. The majority (87%) thinks big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools. Who are you afraid of?"