Lib Dems and liberal Conservatives might find common ground over localism and civil liberties, but there is a deep gulf between the two parties on defining issues of tax, immigration, family policy, inequality, the constitution and Europe.
Accepting that "a lot could go wrong", the paper pointed to coming political choices "on defining issues such as taxation, Britain's position in the European Union, the future of the United Kingdom, defence and our membership of Nato, and the practical challenges of migration".
Since experience suggests that whoever is ahead in the polls after Labor Day usually wins the race in November, Vice President Al Gore and Gov. George W. Bush are scrambling hard to gain traction on defining issues -- fiscal responsibility, health care and retirement security for Mr. Gore, and schools, tax cuts and defense for Mr. Bush.
The 2006 election showed that when we define issues of equality on our terms, we win.
The current national and international agenda is stuffed full of defining issues, particularly on the financial system and the run-up to the Copenhagen summit on climate change at the end of next year, where engagement with the new US administration from January will be crucial.
It is the second-highest form of papal declaration and has been used in the past to set the Catholic Church's stance on defining social issues including birth control, conflict and politics.
Bullock did so because he saw it was in his party's own interest to work with Mr Bush.It is far from clear that Democrats in Washington will feel the same way, except on particular, defined policy issues.
Some critics said he was not taking a bold enough stance on one of the defining issues of his governorship — one easily as consequential as raucous debates over oil and gas drilling (he is a proponent) or the parallel plagues of wildfire and drought.
Today's surge reflects a renewed shift pronouncedly to the right on many defining issues, after several years during the Clinton presidency when students gravitated toward more liberal political labels.
"Instead of expanding their voter bases, both parties have allowed themselves to be taken hostage by narrow pressure groups on certain defining issues," Republicans by "social conservatives and economic libertarians" and Democrats by "a constellation of aggrieved minority groups and public employee unions".
And, like it or not, that meant working with Obama on one of the defining issues of his Presidency.
