Alan Simpson: “I noted this with some whimsy, because I recall that after the November election returns there was a great deal of…”

“I noted this with some whimsy, because I recall that after the November election returns there was a great deal of speculation as to how the minority party would act, now, in its wake. What would the President now try to do to, say, out-Republican the Republicans? Would the Democrats hop on board the Republican train or would they lie down on the tracks? Interesting questions, all of them. Questions were also asked about how the Republicans would deal with having the majority. Would the House Republicans provide for a more open process, more consideration of minority views, or would they resort to the same ramrod tactics that the Democrats employed with some apparent relish, at least as I have observed it for 16 of the past 40 years? Somehow lost to the media amid all of this questioning is a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats as to how, really, willing the two parties are to be on record, to have their votes scrutinized, and to be held up to the folks back home.”