>Like Doug said, they walk in the door
> > compromising and Repubs don't.
>
>This would be a bit like expecting the understudy to try and take over
>the role permanently every time the prima donna has a cold. Or asking
>the liver why it isn't a lung.
Carrol's crabbines and your clever bon mots notwithstanding, I don't think anyone here has an argument with the fact that there's less than a dime's worth of difference between the two parties,
> > That wasn't always the case.
>
>When do you think it changed? I'm not disagreeing -- the party system
>has certainly evolved over time. But I'm curious where you would date
>the transition to the current prima donna/understudy arrangement.
How about with the Omnibus Crime Control Act of 1970? After that the main thing you had to do to get elected to most any office in the land was bluster about crime.