How the Republicans became Lame and the Democrats became Blind...and other Just So Stories

Bill Kristol wrote an interesting piece in the New York Times today. In it he espouses an analogy connecting Rudyard Kipling (as understood by George Orwell) to the modern democratic and republican parties. (read the full article here if you have a chance) Kipling was often perceived as morally insensitive and some even accused him of being racist. According to Orwell, Kipling "identified himself with the ruling power and not with the opposition...in a gifted writer this seems to us strange and even disgusting, but it did have the advantage of giving Kipling a certain grip on reality."
The opposition is not forced to face reality in the same way that the ruling power does. The opposition can deal simply in theory, and can even acquire a significant audience as long as the theory promises vast improvement and displays prima facie tenability. The ruling power must actually make decisions. Each decision bring consequences, some good and other not. These consequences are constantly providing fodder for passing judgment on each decision. Ideas from the opposition can never be proved wrong, because so long as the opposition is not ruling their ideas will remain in the abstract.
Kristol brings this around to modern politics:
"Having controlled the executive branch for 28 of the last 40 years, Republicans tend to think of themselves as the governing party — with some of the arrogance and narrowness that implies, but also with a sense of real-world responsibility. Many Democrats, on the other hand, no longer even try to imagine what action and responsibility are like. They do, however, enjoy the support of many refined people who snigger at the sometimes inept and ungraceful ways of the Republicans."
I tend to agree with Kristol's point here. I think that the republican party is off the mark on its priorities and the more power it gets the more corruption exists (though I do not think that is limited to any one party). However, I also believe that the republican party has a better grip on reality than the democrats. I actually think that fact will work against them in the coming election, but this post is long enough already.
There is much more to say on the topic. I'd like to know if others think Kristol is on point and where else you see this dynamic surfacing in politics.