One of the problems with the current crop of Republicans, particularly the Right-wing Republicans now in power, is that they have no real understanding of politics as most old-time politicians did. Politics in a democracy is a slow, messy process of debate in which both sides get a hearing, and the solution comes as a result of bringing forth the best, most persuasive arguments of both viewpoints. Maximum benefit with the minimum of damage. Politics, it has often been said, is "The Art of Compromise." But the Bush administration does not want debate and they are unwilling to compromise. People like Tom DeLay, for example, embody an insane degree of partisanship. They pay little attention to the affects their policies have on people in general, and furthermore, they don't care. They want to "win" at all costs.

The current crop of Right-wing Republicans don't want to govern. They want to rule.

Don Firth