Maybe that is the fate of both parties, simply because they have tried to be too inclusive

That's a bit kinder than I would put it.  I think this is the fate of all organizations, because all organizations ultimately exist for the purpose of consolidating power. And we all know what power does.

In the end (and it doesn't even take very long), all organizations become more focused on consolidating power than on achieving whatever purpose they originally organized for. The parties became "inclusive" because they wanted as much power as possible...and the way the get it was to bring as many people as possible into their tent.

Today, the main lament about "catering" to the leftier wing of the Democratic Party is that then you will lose the center, and by catering to the center you will lose the left. I have no doubt both Parties would happily extend their political platforms across the entire political spectrum, if they could figure out a way to do it without losing anybody.

I think this is the reason that no one will touch the definition of "progressive" with a 10-foot pole. All political organizations on the left side of the spectrum, from the DLC to DFA, want be free to call themselves progressive without having to define what it means, because they want to bring in as much support as possible.  If they settle on what they mean by "progressive," some folks are going to decide that the definition doesn't fit, and move on.

I have thought about the possibility a disintegration into lots of little parties, as well as the role that the internet could play in this grand drama.  However, I think that, as long as people are inclined to party, they will be inclined to party big.  My hope is that, ultimately, the internet will form a framework that will undermine that inclination entirely, and we will have no parties at all.

Free at last, free at last...

there is no guarantee, but as both were centrally about restoring Democracy, I think Obama will probably beg Howard to stay. With a grassroots organizer as the head of the party though, Dean may feel the party is in good hands and go home. He and his family have sacrificed their private lives for the country for the last 4-5 years. He should be lauded and allowed to exit, or rewarded with an offer of VP, but I don't think that will happen. I can still dream I guess, especially as Howard would make a great heir of the Obama legacy, because he is an amazing administrator. Just the kind of guy you want to really flesh out a vision.

Obama is the Dean campaign part II, with an awakened populas, and a messenger who can move the masses. And he has a way of saying "We need to get those guys with confederate flags on their pickup trucks to vote for us" in a way that goes down a lot easier.