Oh I know that :D! My only point with the metaphor was to question what this country would become if either wing were lopped off, nothing more, nothing less (never even specified which wing).

Should I really be surprised that I'd be branded a flaming liberal for suggesting that the balance provided by our wide political spectrum of beliefs/ideas is a good thing?

Not at all. From my experience on these political threads, if you don't toe the hard right line (or even question it) you're doomed to be classified as as hard core extreme of a liberal as the classifiers are hard core extreme conservatives. There seems to be no room inbetween - it's black or white.

Sarcasm can be entertaining when informed, intelligent and creative. Some of it here definitely is, some definitely not.

I'd be (have been) just as enthusiastically criticized on a left wing forum as I am on this right wing one, so all the remarks are pretty much expected.

So, what about the tail? The tail metaphorically represents all of the *other* parties. You know the bird can't fly w/o a tail. :D