While I agree with a lot of this, politics too has some issues. It is less amenable to consistent philosophical positions and has in my mind become more about tone than policy
http://tinyurl.com/nonkwfz
I remember an exchange a number of years back between Roy Hattersley, Ken Clarke and, I think Dr David Owen, about the time of he Liberal -SDP 'Alliance'. Hattersley did seem to think his Democratic Socialism could be traced to a definitive philosophical position. "Likewise", he said,"if I were to ask Ken Clarke to do an academic test to outline the philosophical basis of political conservatism, he would be able to do likewise (he wouldn't get a very high mark of course). Whereas, what the devil is supposed to be the philosophical basis of 'Alliancism'?"