Democrats Seeking "Middle Ground"?  But the Times' idea of
"governing from the center" includes minimum-wage hikes and
increasing education aid.  Robin Toner, who often writes about
social issues for the Times, centers the new Democratic-
controlled Congress in Tuesday's front-page "In This Turn at the
Top, Democrats Seek the Middle on Social Issues."  But Toner's
definition of centrism certainly sounds a lot like liberalism:
"The promise may not outlast their political honeymoon, but
Democratic Congressional leaders say they are committed to
governing from the center, and not just on bread-and-butter
issues like raising the minimum wage or increasing aid for
education. They also hope to bring that philosophy to bear on
some of the most divisive social issues in politics, like
abortion."  The next part doesn't pass the laugh test (devout
Catholics for abortion on demand?), but Toner lets it slide.
"'We, for a very long time, left the definition of ourselves as
Democrats to others,' said Representative Rosa D