With 257 votes in the House, the Democratic Party can lose up to 39 votes and still prevail. Of course, they'd rather not lose 39 votes, but the point is they can. Besides being able to claim a mandate due to the 2006 and 2008 elections where the Party won big, a huge majority also allows the Democratic leadership to be more patient, tolerant and forgiving of members that vote against the party line. This story from CQ Politics discusses these apostate members (the GOP has their fair share too).
But, it's more than just the current large majority that allows the Democratic leadership to be more tolerant. An examination of party unity scores (how often a member votes with his party) going back to WWII will demonstrate that Democrats are more likely to buck their party than Republicans will buck their party. Why? The very nature of modern, American liberalism is that it is a political ideology fonded on openness, inclusiveness and tolerance. To be progressive is to be inclusive of that which is different. Yet, the nature of modern conservatism is to reject that what is different in pursuit of constraining dissent and vigorous debate. To be a House Democrat is to tolerate the different, to be a House Republican is to reject it.
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