before that, they mostly kept the constant attacks to election years

Since the first day of the Clinton administration, the GOP has been on the attack, seizing any pretext to divert, attack and stonewall. That has been their M.O. This continued during the GWB administration, with the nuance that GWB would say things like "I'm a uniter, not a divider" once in awhile. But really it was "my way or the highway" in every instance. "I'm the decider." This from a President who: 1) needed a S.C. decision to gain victory; 2) received a minority of the popular vote. Had GWB ever tried to run a government of national unity, as a respectable person would have done, so much would be different today.

The Democrats have different problems, most of which can be summed up as a reflex to try and accommodate every different social issue interest group and in so doing coming off as whining and unfocused. But it just isn't the same as the coordinated dirty tricks southern strategy cynicism which has been the GOP trademark for a long time. The GOP pretends to reach across the aisle, to score points, but pulls its hand back every time. It's time they start getting smacked in the face for it.

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justitia omnibus
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"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."

---Mark Twain