"I can tell you this is exactly what conservatives fear - an authoritarian takeover of the left that will impose restrictions and demands upon ones lifestyle "

No, what the false "conservatives" you listen to fear is losing their power, money, and now court-backed, power. There are very few true conservatives left in positions of power anywhere in this nation. And those who remain are the ones attacked by the false "conservatives" you seem to mistake for real conservatives.

No, Democrats and progressives aren't perfect; they're far from it, but their distance from 'perfection' is a much shorter distance than that of the Republicans.

And we don't need and will never have perfect politicians. but we can have good politicians.