GOP in constant campaign mode

After a Republican took Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat in Massachusetts, perhaps Democrats will learn something from Republicans: Today, it's all politics, all the time.

The GOP has been in a constant campaign mode since it got beat in 2008, not really even trying to participate in government. Republicans are still pushing failed economic policy from the Bush era (more tax cuts for the rich and more deregulation), their perspective on the issues is backward-looking and destructive for the country. But they know how to stay focused like a laser beam on politics, getting their message through to the public while Democrats are perpetually in disarray and we get no clear message from the White House.

Another problem for the Democrats is that the best of them are idealists. The Republicans' only interest is to grab and hold power for the upper class. It's a fairly simple agenda, and it's easy for them to support one another.

The trouble with idealism is that everyone has different thoughts about what is ideal and how to achieve it. It has proved difficult to get even the best Democrats to cooperate because each sees the other's ideas as inferior to his or her own. Idealists want the best, so they do not work together. As a result, they can't hold power.

As the saying goes, the road to hell really is paved with good intentions.

Stephen Fitzhenry

Marion