Josh Marshall, founder and editor of the Talking Points Memo blog, has some insight into the general character of Democrats:

Democrats today fit into two cultural and ideational groups. Most fall into both. But almost all of them fit into at least one of them. First, they are people who tend to be empirically minded, more tolerant, more trusting of scientific consensus. These are all mindsets and world-views that place a great premium on doubt. Skepticism is the root of empiricism. It is, along with doubt, also a key pillar of tolerance. Each correlates with educational attainment, which in recent decades has become a key marker of Democratic partisan affiliation. In our current political configurations, these habits of thought and experience are heavily weighted to those who identify as Democrats. These are qualities that in most respects Democrats valorize. But here we see some of the negative effects. You’re less sure you’re right.

Many Democrats also have either a personal or historical experience of being marginalized in society. This is a good reason to be wary of and anticipate bad outcomes.

So let’s see… I’m well-educated and have always respected science, and I like to think of myself as a tolerant man. Certainly I have completely internalized the Star Trek ideal known as IDIC… Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. And growing up as a non-religious kid in the midst of small-town Mormon Utah, I’ve definitely felt marginalized at times in my life.

My god, it’s like he’s talking about me!

Maybe. I could be wrong. I’m not sure…

(Seriously, though, I can’t fault anything he says here, including his conclusion that Dems tend to struggle with self-doubt and as a result often shoot themselves in the foot. It’s something I truly wish we could bring under control, both for the sake of our political standing and for our own personal peace of mind… )